GRADE 8 English MODERN FASHION – READING:SHORT STORY Notes
READING: SHORT STORY — MODERN FASHION
Subject: English (Grammar focus) • Level: 13 years • Context: Kenya
Learning objectives
- Recognise verb tenses used in a short story (past simple, past continuous, present simple).
- Identify and use adjectives, comparatives and adverbs to describe fashion.
- Understand and punctuate direct speech (dialogue).
- Practice reported speech, subject–verb agreement and linking words in narrative writing.
Context (short story):
Imagine a short story about a group of friends in Nairobi who mix modern styles with traditional kitenge prints. The narrator describes what they wore, what happened at a fashion market, and what people said.
Important grammar to notice while reading
1. Past simple — main narrative tense
- Use for finished actions: "She walked to the market."
- Story example: "Asha wore a bright kitenge skirt and smiled." (wore, smiled = past simple)
- Story example: "Asha wore a bright kitenge skirt and smiled." (wore, smiled = past simple)
2. Past continuous — background actions
- Use to show something was happening when another action occurred: "They were choosing fabrics when the music started."
- Form: was/were + verb-ing (was choosing, were talking).
- Form: was/were + verb-ing (was choosing, were talking).
3. Present simple — facts and opinions
- Use for general truths: "Modern fashion mixes new and traditional styles."
- Use for character opinions stated in the story: "He thinks kitenge is beautiful."
- Use for character opinions stated in the story: "He thinks kitenge is beautiful."
4. Adjectives and comparatives — describing clothes
- Adjectives describe nouns: bright, colourful, loose, smart.
- Comparatives compare: brighter, more comfortable, smarter.
- Example: "Her dress was brighter than his shirt."
- Comparatives compare: brighter, more comfortable, smarter.
- Example: "Her dress was brighter than his shirt."
5. Adverbs — how actions happen
- Adverbs of manner tell how: quickly, carefully, loudly.
- Example: "The tailor cut the fabric carefully."
- Example: "The tailor cut the fabric carefully."
6. Direct speech (dialogue) and punctuation
- Use quotation marks for spoken words: "I love that bag," said Mosi.
- Capitalise the first word inside quotes. Use comma before the closing quote if a reporting clause follows.
- Example: "This design is clever," Asha said. "It blends old and new."
- Capitalise the first word inside quotes. Use comma before the closing quote if a reporting clause follows.
- Example: "This design is clever," Asha said. "It blends old and new."
7. Reported (indirect) speech
- Change tense and pronouns when reporting: Direct: "I love kitenge," she said. → Reported: She said (that) she loved kitenge.
- Present becomes past (think → thought), will becomes would, can becomes could.
- Present becomes past (think → thought), will becomes would, can becomes could.
8. Subject–verb agreement
- Make the verb agree with the subject: "The shirt fits" (singular), "The shirts fit" (plural).
- In present simple add -s for he/she/it: "She wears", "He mixes".
- In present simple add -s for he/she/it: "She wears", "He mixes".
9. Linking words for sequence and cause
- Use words like then, next, while, because, so to show order and reason.
- Example: "They visited the market. Then they bought fabric because the prices were low."
- Example: "They visited the market. Then they bought fabric because the prices were low."
Quick examples from the story
- "Lina walked into the Nairobi market wearing a smart jacket." (past simple)
- "She was talking to a designer when the music started." (past continuous + past simple)
- "He said, 'This kitenge is beautiful.'" → Reported: He said (that) the kitenge was beautiful.
- "The bag is more comfortable than the old one." (comparative)
Activities (try these)
-
Fill in the correct tense (past simple or past continuous):
a) "They (look) __________ at fabrics when the rain (start) __________." -
Change to reported speech:
b) Direct: "I will wear my new shoes," said Ben.
→ Reported: __________ -
Make comparatives:
c) bright → __________ ; comfortable → __________ -
Correct punctuation of dialogue:
d) write the sentence correctly: She said "the dress is lovely" and smiled. -
Subject–verb agreement:
e) Choose the correct verb: "The kitenge patterns (is / are) colourful."
Answers
- a) "They were looking at fabrics when the rain started."
- b) Reported: He said (that) he would wear his new shoes.
- c) brighter ; more comfortable
- d) Correct: She said, "The dress is lovely," and smiled.
- e) "The kitenge patterns are colourful."
Reading tips (how to spot grammar in the story)
- Underline verbs and decide their tense. Ask: Is this action finished or was it happening when something else happened?
- Circle adjectives and see whether they compare two things.
- Put quotation marks around dialogue and check punctuation and capital letters.
- Turn a sentence of direct speech into reported speech and watch tense changes.
- At the end, try to retell two sentences from the story using different tenses (past → present or vice versa) to practise.
Quick checklist (while reading)
✅ Find the main tense of the story.
✅ Highlight one example each of: direct speech, reported speech, comparative.
✅ Note any linking words that show time or reason (then, because, while).
✅ Highlight one example each of: direct speech, reported speech, comparative.
✅ Note any linking words that show time or reason (then, because, while).
Good luck! Try writing one short paragraph (5–6 sentences) about modern fashion using past simple and at least two adjectives.