English – Class 8 (NCERT)
Honeydew (10 Prose + 8 Poems) · It So Happened (10 Chapters) · Grammar · Writing Skills | Chapter Summary · Word Meanings · Important Q&A · Exam Pattern 2025-26
NCERT English Class 8 has two textbooks — Honeydew (main reader with 10 prose chapters and 8 poems) and It So Happened (supplementary reader with 10 stories). Building on Class 7 (Honeybee + An Alien Hand), Class 8 introduces war narratives, natural disasters, adventure stories, humour, poetry analysis and more complex grammar topics like Passive Voice, Reported Speech and Conditional sentences.
In the exam, the Literature section carries 40–50 marks while Grammar and Writing carry 30–35 marks. The supplementary reader (It So Happened) contributes 15–20 marks.
⚠️ NCERT Rationalised Content: Some chapters may have changed in the 2022–23 rationalised edition. Always check ncert.nic.in and Rationalised Content List for your current textbook.
1. Honeydew — All Chapters at a Glance
Free PDF: NCERT Honeydew Class 8 — Official Free Download
🇬🇧 Honeydew | Class 8 | 10 Prose + 8 Poems | Main Reader | NCERT English
| # | Chapter Title | Author | Genre | Theme / Central Idea | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Best Christmas Present in the World | Michael Morpurgo | Story | WWI Christmas Truce 1914 — humanity amid war | Letter from a soldier | ★★★ |
| 2 | The Tsunami | — | Non-fiction | 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami — survival stories, animal instinct vs human loss | ★★★ |
| 3 | Glimpses of the Past | S.D. Sawant | Comic strip / History | Indian struggle against British rule 1757–1857 — pictorial history | ★★★ |
| 4 | Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory | Satyajit Ray | Humour | A man made to believe he forgot a trip — identity, memory, friendship | ★★★ |
| 5 | The Summit Within | H.P.S. Ahluwalia | Personal essay | Climbing Everest — the summit within oneself; true victory is mental | ★★★ |
| 6 | This is Jody's Fawn | Marjorie K. Rawlings | Story | A boy saves a fawn — compassion, responsibility, kindness to animals | ★★ |
| 7 | A Visit to Cambridge | Firdaus Kanga | Essay | Wheelchair-bound author meets Stephen Hawking — disability, determination | |
| 7 | ★★★ | ||||
| 8 | A Short Monsoon Diary | Ruskin Bond | Diary | Mussoorie monsoon — nature's beauty through a writer's daily observations | ★★★ |
| 9 | The Great Stone Face — I | Nathaniel Hawthorne | Story | Ernest waits for the prophecy — the face one wears shapes one's character | ★★ |
| 10 | The Great Stone Face — II | Nathaniel Hawthorne | Story (Cont.) | Ernest becomes the Great Stone Face — noble thoughts make a noble person | ★★ |
2. Prose — Detailed Analysis (★★★ Chapters)
📖 Honeydew Prose | Detailed Summary + Q&A | Class 8 | परीक्षा में अनिवार्य
Chapter 1 — Story
★★★
The Best Christmas Present in the World
Michael Morpurgo (British author)
Summary: The narrator finds an old desk at an antique shop. Inside is a letter written on Christmas Day 1914 by British soldier Jim Macpherson to his wife Connie. The letter describes how German and British soldiers stopped fighting on Christmas Eve, came out of trenches, shook hands and played football together — the Christmas Truce of 1914. The narrator delivers the letter to an old woman named Connie, who mistakes him for Jim.
Key Words: Truce = युद्धविराम | Antique = पुरानी वस्तु | Startled = चौंका हुआ | Bewildered = भ्रमित
💡 Exam Q: "Why is the letter the best Christmas present?" — It shows humanity, peace and love surviving even amid war. "What happened on Christmas Eve 1914?" Long Answer 5 marks.
Chapter 2 — Non-fiction
★★★
The Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
Summary: On 26 December 2004, a massive tsunami struck the Andaman Islands. The chapter tells survival stories: Ignesious lost his family; Meghna floated on a door for 2 days; Almas Javed's family perished. Remarkable: animals sensed danger and fled to high ground before humans noticed — elephants, flamingoes, bats all escaped. Tilly Smith (10-year-old) warned tourists using Geography class knowledge.
Key Words: Tsunami = सुनामी (harbour wave) | Tremor = भूकंप-लहर | Recede = पीछे हटना | Debris = मलबा
💡 Exam Q: "How did animals sense the tsunami?" — Instinct/sixth sense. "What did Tilly Smith do?" — Recognised the signs from Geography class, warned beach. Most frequently asked.
Chapter 3 — Comic Strip
★★★
Glimpses of the Past
S.D. Sawant (Comic strip format)
Summary: A pictorial/comic-strip history of India's struggle against the British (1757–1857). Key events: Battle of Plassey 1757 (Clive vs Siraj-ud-Daulah), economic exploitation (Indian weavers destroyed), social reforms (sati abolition by Raja Ram Mohan Roy), 1857 Revolt (First War of Independence). Shows how India resisted colonialism at every step.
Key Terms: Exploitation = शोषण | Colonialism = उपनिवेशवाद | Revolt = विद्रोह | Reform = सुधार
💡 Exam Q: "Why is 1857 called the First War of Independence?" "How did the British destroy Indian cottage industries?" Important for 5-mark answers.
Chapter 4 — Humour
★★★
Bepin Choudhury's Lapse of Memory
Satyajit Ray (Bengali filmmaker/writer)
Summary: Bepin Choudhury is told by a stranger, Parimal Ghose, that they met in Ranchi in 1958. Bepin has no memory of this. He begins to doubt his own memory. His doctor friend Chuni Lal suggests visiting Ranchi to confirm. Bepin goes — finds apparent evidence — but eventually reveals: Chuni Lal himself had planned the whole trick to punish Bepin for ignoring him when he needed help. A story about false memory and true friendship.
Key Words: Ailment = बीमारी | Disconcerted = विचलित | Sinister = अशुभ | Distraught = व्याकुल
💡 Exam Q: "Who played the trick on Bepin and why?" — Chuni Lal, for being ignored in time of need. "What is the moral of the story?" — True friendship means being there in difficult times.
Chapter 5 — Personal Essay
★★★
The Summit Within
Major H.P.S. Ahluwalia (Indian mountaineer)
Summary: Major Ahluwalia describes climbing Mount Everest (8,848 m) in 1965. At the summit, he felt not triumph but humility and gratitude. He compares the physical mountain to the mountains within oneself — problems, fears, weaknesses. Climbing Everest taught him: every person has a summit within. The real victory is over one's inner self. He plants the Indian flag and a picture of Guru Nanak.
Key Words: Summit = शिखर | Humility = विनम्रता | Exhilaration = उत्साह | Forbidding = भयावह
💡 Exam Q: "What does 'the summit within' mean?" — The inner challenges each person must overcome. Most philosophical question of the chapter. Long Answer 5 marks.
Chapter 7 — Essay
★★★
A Visit to Cambridge
Firdaus Kanga (Disabled Indian author)
Summary: Firdaus Kanga, himself in a wheelchair, visits Stephen Hawking at Cambridge. Hawking communicates through a computer voice. Despite his severe disability (ALS), Hawking lives fully and says: "I'm not unhappy." Kanga is moved — Hawking's life teaches that disability is not an obstacle to achievement. The conversation is brief but profound. Written in a warm, admiring tone.
Key Words: Indignity = अपमान | Eloquent = वाक्पटु | Synthesizer = संश्लेषक | Provoked = उकसाया
💡 Exam Q: "What lesson does Stephen Hawking's life teach us?" "Why was Firdaus Kanga inspired?" — Both disabled, but Hawking's spirit transcends disability. Long Answer 5 marks.
Chapter 8 — Diary
★★★
A Short Monsoon Diary
Ruskin Bond (Mussoorie)
Summary: Ruskin Bond's diary entries from June to September, observing Mussoorie's monsoon. Each entry records nature minutely — the first rains, leeches, mist, thunder, birds, leopard, and the smell of earth. Written in a calm, lyrical style. Bond finds profound joy in small observations — a dragonfly, the evening mist, the mountains. Shows the beauty of patient nature-observation.
Key Words: Mist = कोहरा | Leeches = जोंक | Monsoon = मानसून | Fragrance = सुगंध
💡 Exam Q: "What does Ruskin Bond observe on June 24?" "How does the monsoon affect life in Mussoorie?" — 3–5 mark descriptive answer.
Chapter 6 — Story
This is Jody's Fawn
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Summary: Jody's father was bitten by a rattlesnake. He killed a doe (deer) to use its organs as antidote. Now the fawn is motherless. Jody insists on rescuing the fawn — he feeds it milk with a cloth. Compassion, responsibility and love for animals — the central theme. Jody feels responsible for the fawn since his father killed its mother.
💡 Exam Q: "Why does Jody feel responsible for the fawn?" "What does this story teach about kindness to animals?"
3. Honeydew — Poems (8 Poems + Stanzas)
🎵 Poems | Honeydew Class 8 | 8 Poems | Stanza Meaning + Poetic Devices | Exam
3.1 The Ant and the Cricket ★★★
A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.
Meaning (Hindi): एक मूर्ख क्रिकेट (झींगुर) गर्मियों में गाता रहा। जब सर्दी आई, उसके पास खाना न था। Moral: Lazy singing cricket = जो मेहनत नहीं करते | Hard-working ant = जो संग्रह करते हैं। Aesop's Fable में से।
Key Poetic Devices: Rhyme scheme (AABB) | Alliteration: "warm, sunny, summer, spring" | Metaphor: "winter" = difficult times | Personification: ant and cricket speak like humans.
3.2 Macavity: The Mystery Cat ★★★
Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw —
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime — Macavity's not there!
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime — Macavity's not there!
Meaning: मैकेविटी एक रहस्यमय बिल्ली है जो सबसे बड़ा अपराधी है — पर कभी पकड़ा नहीं जाता। वहाँ पहुँचने से पहले ही गायब। Poet: T.S. Eliot | Topic: Crime, mystery, cunning, escape from law.
| Poem | Poet | Theme | ★ |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ant and the Cricket | Aesop (adapted) | Hard work vs laziness | ★★★ |
| Geography Lesson | Zulfikar Ghose | Earth from above — unity vs division | ★★ |
| Macavity: The Mystery Cat | T.S. Eliot | The master criminal — always absent when caught | ★★★ |
| The Last Bargain | Rabindranath Tagore | Real freedom cannot be bought — child's joy is priceless | ★★★ |
| The School Boy | William Blake | Joy of learning vs forced schooling — cage vs nature | ★★★ |
| The Duck and the Kangaroo | Edward Lear | Nonsense poetry — friendship, adventure, fun | ★★ |
| When I set out for Lyonnesse | Thomas Hardy | Mystery of love and inspiration — what changed him? | ★★ |
| On the Grasshopper and Cricket | John Keats | The poetry of earth never ceases — nature always sings | ★★★ |
3.3 The Last Bargain (Tagore) ★★★
"Come and hire me," I cried, while in the morning
I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Chariot came rolling by;
The king looked down and offered me power:
"But power is no, power," said I.
I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Chariot came rolling by;
The king looked down and offered me power:
"But power is no, power," said I.
Meaning: कवि को राजा ने power दी — मना किया। व्यापारी ने धन दिया — मना किया। सुंदर युवती ने प्रेम दिया — मना किया। अंत में एक छोटे बच्चे ने फूल से खेलने को बुलाया — वह खुशी से मान गया। Real bargain = निःस्वार्थ बच्चे की खुशी।
3.4 The School Boy (William Blake) ★★★
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O what sweet company!
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O what sweet company!
Meaning: बालक सुबह प्रकृति में खुश है — पर school जाना पड़ता है। वहाँ उदासी है। Blake कहते हैं — forced schooling kills the joy of learning। "If buds are nipped…how shall summer arise?" — बच्चे के मन को दबाओगे तो वह कैसे खिलेगा?
4. It So Happened — Supplementary Reader (10 Chapters)
Free PDF: NCERT It So Happened Class 8 — Official Free Download
📘 It So Happened | Class 8 | 10 Supplementary Stories | NCERT English
Supp. 1
★★★
How the Camel got his Hump
Rudyard Kipling (Just So Stories)
Summary: In the early days, a Camel was lazy and said "Humph" to all work requests. A Djinn (genie) punished him with a hump — so he could work 3 days without eating, making up for lost time. Moral: Laziness brings its own punishment. Written in Kipling's whimsical style.
💡 Exam Q: "Why did the Djinn give the Camel a hump?" "What is the moral?" 2–3 marks.
Supp. 2
★★★
Children at Work
Gita Wolf / Anushka Ravishankar
Summary: Velu runs away from his abusive father and arrives in Chennai. He meets Jaya, a girl who survives by collecting and selling waste. She shows him how to find food and work. Velu eventually gets a job at a hotel. Theme: Child labour, poverty, survival — and kindness of strangers.
💡 Exam Q: "What did Jaya do for a living?" "Why did Velu run away from home?" "How did Velu find work?" 3–5 marks.
Supp. 3
★★★
The Selfish Giant
Oscar Wilde
Summary: A Giant forbids children from playing in his beautiful garden. Perpetual winter descends. One spring day children sneak in — and spring returns to every corner where they play, except one cold spot where a small boy cannot climb. Giant lifts the boy — and that spot blooms. Giant becomes kind, allows children forever. The little boy appears again years later with wounds on his hands — he is Christ. Giant dies peacefully. Moral: Selfishness brings coldness; love brings spring.
💡 Exam Q: "Why was it always winter in the Giant's garden?" "Who was the little boy at the end?" Long Answer 5 marks — most popular exam question.
Supp. 5
★★★
Princess September
W. Somerset Maugham
Summary: Princess September receives a singing bird instead of a parrot. Her sisters insist she cage it for safety. She cages it — the bird stops singing and falls ill. She releases it — it returns every morning to sing. Moral: True love means freedom; caging destroys what you love. Beautiful allegory about freedom vs possession.
💡 Exam Q: "Why did the bird stop singing in the cage?" "What does the story teach about love and freedom?" — 5-mark answer.
Supp. 7
★★★
The Open Window
H.H. Munro (Saki)
Summary: Framton Nuttel visits Mrs Sappleton for his nerves. Her young niece Vera tells him Mrs Sappleton's husband and brothers died in a marsh 3 years ago — she keeps the window open waiting for them. Suddenly they appear — Framton flees in terror. But Vera calmly explains to Mrs Sappleton that Framton is terrified of dogs. A perfect twist ending — Vera fabricated the entire story. A masterpiece of short fiction.
💡 Exam Q: "What story did Vera tell Framton?" "What is the twist at the end?" "Why is Vera a remarkable character?" — Most loved story. 5-mark answer every year.
Supp. 8
Jalebis
Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi (translated)
Summary: A boy receives fees money and is tempted by jalebis. He prays to God that his scholarship money will arrive and spends the fees on jalebis. The scholarship doesn't come. He prays again — no answer. Theme: Temptation, consequences of wrong decisions, and the complexity of prayer.
💡 Exam Q: "Why did the boy spend his fees on jalebis?" "What lesson did he learn?" 3 marks.
5. Grammar — Complete Guide (Class 8)
📐 Grammar | Passive Voice · Reported Speech · Conditionals · Tenses | Class 8 | 20–25 Marks
5.1 Active and Passive Voice
🔄 Passive Voice — Rules + Examples
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | She writes a letter. | A letter is written by her. |
| Simple Past | He broke the window. | The window was broken by him. |
| Present Continuous | They are building a house. | A house is being built by them. |
| Past Continuous | She was cooking food. | Food was being cooked by her. |
| Present Perfect | I have finished the work. | The work has been finished by me. |
| Future Simple | Ram will do it. | It will be done by Ram. |
💡 Rule: Object becomes Subject | Subject becomes Object (with "by") | Verb → Be + Past Participle. Object Pronoun change: he→him, she→her, they→them, I→me.
5.2 Reported Speech (Direct to Indirect)
🗣️ Reported Speech — Rules + Tense Changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Change |
|---|---|---|
| "I am happy," he said. | He said that he was happy. | am → was |
| "I will come," she said. | She said that she would come. | will → would |
| "Are you ready?" he asked. | He asked if I was ready. | Question → if/whether |
| "Go away!" she said. | She told him to go away. | Command → to + V1 |
| "Please help me," he said. | He requested them to help him. | Request → requested + to |
💡 Pronoun Changes: I → he/she | We → they | You → he/she/they | My → his/her | Our → their. Time words: now → then | today → that day | tomorrow → the next day | here → there.
5.3 Conditionals (If Clauses)
⚙️ Conditional Sentences — 3 Types
| Type | Condition | Result | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 — Real/Possible | If + Present Simple | will + V1 | If it rains, I will stay home. |
| Type 2 — Unreal/Unlikely | If + Past Simple | would + V1 | If I were rich, I would travel. |
| Type 3 — Impossible (Past) | If + Past Perfect | would have + V3 | If she had studied, she would have passed. |
5.4 Other Grammar Topics — Class 8
| Topic | Key Points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Tenses (Revision) | 12 tenses — Perfect tenses most tested | Have/Has/Had + V3 | 4–5 |
| Articles (a/an/the) | a/an = indefinite; the = definite; zero article with plural/uncountable | 3–4 |
| Adjectives + Degrees | Positive/Comparative/Superlative | good-better-best | bad-worse-worst | 3–4 |
| Conjunctions | Coordinating (and, but, or, so) | Subordinating (because, although, if, when) | 2–3 |
| Prepositions | in/on/at (place & time) | by/with/through (means) | since/for (duration) | 3–4 |
| Vocabulary | Word meanings from chapters | Synonyms/Antonyms | One-word substitution | 4–5 |
6. Writing Skills — Paragraph, Letter, Notice
✍️ Writing Skills | Paragraph · Formal Letter · Notice · Diary | Class 8 | 15–20 Marks
6.1 Formal Letter Format
📬 Formal Letter — Format (5 Marks)
Your Name
Your Address
Date: 27 February 2026
To,
The Principal,
School Name, Address
Subject: ___________________
Sir/Ma'am,
I beg to state that… (main body — 3–4 lines)
I, therefore, request you to kindly… I shall be highly obliged.
Yours obediently,
Name: ____________
Class: _____ Roll No: _____
💡 Common Topics: Leave application | Complaint about school facilities | Requesting permission for a trip | Library books request
6.2 Notice Writing
Format: School Name (top) → NOTICE (heading, centred, underlined) → Date → Heading of Notice → Body (What, When, Where, Who) → Signature + Designation → Name in brackets below. Word limit: 50–80 words. Marks: 4–5.
6.3 Paragraph Writing — Common Topics
| Topic | Key Points (3 para structure) |
|---|---|
| My Favourite Book | Introduction (name/author) → Why I like it (3 reasons) → Conclusion (what it taught me) |
| Importance of Trees | Oxygen + shade → ecological balance → deforestation consequences → conclusion |
| A Visit to a Historical Place | Where/when I went → what I saw → what I learnt → conclusion |
| Science is a Boon or Curse | Benefits (medical, technology) → harms (weapons, pollution) → balanced view |
7. Exam Pattern 2025-26
| Section | Topic | Question Type | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Reading (Unseen Passage) | MCQ + Short Answer + Vocabulary | 20 |
| B | Grammar | Passive Voice (4), Reported Speech (4), Fill Blanks (4), Error Correction (4) | 16 |
| C | Writing | Formal Letter (5) + Paragraph/Notice (5) + Diary/Story (5) | 15 |
| D | Honeydew — Prose | Short Answer ×3 + Long Answer ×2 | 18 |
| E | Honeydew — Poems | Stanza meaning + Short Q&A | 12 |
| F | It So Happened | Short Answer ×2 + Long Answer ×1 | 12 |
| G | MCQ / Language | Vocabulary, Tenses, Articles | 7 |
| Total | 100 | ||
✅ Most Frequently Asked (★★★) Every Year:
• The Tsunami — How did animals sense it? Tilly Smith's role
• Bepin Choudhury — Who played the trick and why? (Chuni Lal)
• The Summit Within — "the summit within" meaning
• A Visit to Cambridge — Hawking's lesson on disability
• The Selfish Giant — Who was the little boy? Why did spring not come?
• The Open Window (Saki) — Vera's trick + twist ending
• Macavity: The Mystery Cat — Poetic devices + stanza meaning
• The Last Bargain (Tagore) — Why did the poet accept the child's bargain?
• Passive Voice — 4–5 sentences conversion
• Reported Speech — 4–5 sentences
• The Tsunami — How did animals sense it? Tilly Smith's role
• Bepin Choudhury — Who played the trick and why? (Chuni Lal)
• The Summit Within — "the summit within" meaning
• A Visit to Cambridge — Hawking's lesson on disability
• The Selfish Giant — Who was the little boy? Why did spring not come?
• The Open Window (Saki) — Vera's trick + twist ending
• Macavity: The Mystery Cat — Poetic devices + stanza meaning
• The Last Bargain (Tagore) — Why did the poet accept the child's bargain?
• Passive Voice — 4–5 sentences conversion
• Reported Speech — 4–5 sentences
8. Study Tips — Score 90+ in English
| Area | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Literature (40 marks) | For each chapter: Read once → Write 5-line summary → Prepare 2 Long Answer questions. Focus: The Tsunami, Bepin Choudhury, The Open Window, The Selfish Giant. |
| Poetry (12 marks) | Learn 2 stanzas + meaning for each of 4 key poems: Ant & Cricket, Macavity, Last Bargain, School Boy. Identify 1 poetic device per poem. |
| Grammar (16 marks) | Practice 10 sentences daily: 5 Passive Voice + 5 Reported Speech. Use the formula charts above. Grammar is the easiest scoring section. |
| Writing (15 marks) | Memorise the Formal Letter format perfectly — 5 easy marks. Practice 2 paragraphs on common topics. |
| Unseen Passage (20 marks) | Read the passage twice before answering. Answers should use words from the passage itself. Title should be 2–3 words. |
9. Digital Resources
| Resource | Link | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Honeydew PDF (Free) | ncert.nic.in | All 10 chapters — free |
| It So Happened PDF | ncert.nic.in | Supplementary reader |
| Rationalised Syllabus | ncert.nic.in | Updated chapter list |
| DIKSHA App | diksha.gov.in | Audio lessons, story readings |
| Class 7 English Notes | ncertclasses.com | Previous class revision |
| Class 8 Hindi Notes | ncertclasses.com | Class 8 other subjects |
| CBSE Sample Papers | cbseacademic.nic.in | Sample Papers 2025-26 |
10. References
- NCERT. Honeydew, Class 8. PDF
- NCERT. It So Happened, Class 8. PDF
- NCERT (2005). NCF 2005. ncert.nic.in
- NCERT. Rationalised Content List. ncert.nic.in
- CBSE Academic. cbseacademic.nic.in
- DIKSHA. diksha.gov.in
⚠️ Disclaimer: This article is based on NCERT Honeydew and It So Happened Class 8, NCF 2005 and NEP 2020 for educational purposes. Chapter content may vary due to NCERT rationalisation — always verify at ncert.nic.in. ncertclasses.com is a private educational platform — not affiliated with NCERT / CBSE.
Class 8 English — Honeydew + It So Happened | ncertclasses.com/Class-8
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