GRADE 8 English RELATIONSHIPS:PEERS – READING:REFERENCE MATERIALS Notes
READING: REFERENCE MATERIALS — Grammar notes (English)
Topic: RELATIONSHIPS: PEERS — Examples use classmates and friends (age 13, Kenyan classroom).
- Clear definitions using verbs like is / are.
- Short factual statements (present simple).
- Extra information in relative clauses (who, which, that, whose).
- Reported (indirect) speech when someone’s words are repeated.
- Passive forms in descriptions of actions.
- Headings, colons and commas showing structure.
1. Definitions and present simple (facts)
Reference notes often use the present simple to state facts and definitions.
Example: Peer — A peer is a person of the same age or level, for example a classmate.
Structure: Term + is/are + noun phrase.
2. Headings, colons and capitalisation
Headings are short and capitalised. Use a colon to introduce lists or definitions.
Example: Friendship: Qualities — Honest, caring, respectful.
3. Relative clauses — adding extra information
Use who / which / that / whose to add information about people or things.
Examples:
- Juma, who sits next to me in class, helps me with maths.
- The group that won the debate is from our school.
Note: Use a comma if the clause adds non-essential information (extra detail).
4. Reported (indirect) speech — copying what peers say
Change direct speech to reported speech: move tense back and change pronouns and time words as needed.
Direct: Aisha said, "I will bring the workbook tomorrow."
Reported: Aisha said that she would bring the workbook the next day.
- Present → past (e.g., "I am" → said he was).
- Will → would; today → that day; tomorrow → the next day.
5. Passive voice — focus on the action
Use passive to show what happened without naming who did it.
Active: The team completed the project.
Passive: The project was completed by the team.
Form: be + past participle (is/was/are/were + done).
6. Instructions and imperatives
Reference guides often use short commands (imperatives) for instructions.
Examples: Use a dictionary. Check the meaning. Write the new word in your notebook.
7. Lists and parallel structure
Keep list items parallel (same grammatical form).
Good: Helping others, listening carefully, sharing ideas.
Bad: Help others, listening carefully, to share ideas.
Quick punctuation tips
- Use a comma to separate extra details: "Mwende, who studies hard, won a prize."
- Use a colon before lists or explanations: "Reasons: respect, honesty, trust."
- End statements with a full stop; questions with a question mark.
Short practice (try these)
- Change to reported speech: Teacher: "You must finish the group task by Friday."
- Write a relative clause: The student ____ helped me with the assignment. (use who/that)
- Turn into passive: The class elected a chairperson.
- Fix the parallel list: "Reading, to write, and speaking."
- He/she said that we had to finish the group task by Friday. (or The teacher said that we had to finish the group task by Friday.)
- The student who helped me with the assignment. (or The student that helped me with the assignment.)
- The chairperson was elected by the class.
- Correct parallel form: Reading, writing, and speaking. (or Read, write, and speak.)
Tip: When you read reference materials about peers (friends, group rules, class notes), watch for these grammar features — they help you understand facts, instructions and reports quickly.
Quick visual: 📚 ➜ facts (present) 🗣️ ➜ reported speech 🔁 ➜ passive