Compound Nouns
This is a noun that is made up of two or more words.
Examples
- Stomachache
- Moonlight
- Notebook
- Firefly
- Sunflower
Capital letters are used at the beginning of a sentence or with proper nouns. They are also called upper case letters.
Examples
- Susan and Michael visited India last week.
- I don’t think I want to eat that food again.
- She doesn’t speak German at all.
- Kariuki asked Teacher Benjamin whether he could pick his book from the other class.
Simple Poems
The blue ocean touches the warm sand,
Old wooden boats sail near the land,
Fort Jesus stands, magnificent and old,
Many stories aboutit have been told.
People here are soft and sweet,
Sometimes the town has quiet streets,
The smell of spices fills the air,
As well as prayer calls everywhere.
I watch as rice and coconut cook,
While a fellow girl reads a book,
Tuk-tuks drive through busy roads,
And I wonder, did I see a toad?
Palm trees dance by Nyali Beach,
The ocean waves the shore will reach,
Mombasa town, so warm and bright,
Everytime — day and night.
Questions To Answer
- Has the poem been written by a boy or a girl?
- What kind of trees are found here?
- Do you agree that this town is mostly idle?
- Which old structure has been mentioned in this poem?
Collective Nouns
A collection of people, animals or things.
Examples
- A pride of lions
- A gang of thieves
- A school of fish
- A murder of crows
- A litter of puppies
- A choir of singers
- A galaxy of stars
Primary Auxiliaries
These are helping verbs that assist the main verb. They are be, have, do
be – am, was, is, were, are
have – has, had, have
do- does, did, do
Examples
Be- She is reading a book./ They were eating at the restaurant.
Do – Do you enjoy reading mystery novels?/ He does not like wearing sweaters.
Have – Sally finished cooking a while ago/ Mutua had already left by the time I came back.
- Be → She is reading a book. / They were playing outside.
- Do → Do you like tea? / He does not eat meat.
- Have → I have finished my homework. / We had already left.
Pollution: A Growing Threat to Our Environment
Kenya is increasingly facing the challenges of pollution. Across its many cities and rural areas alike, air, water, and land are being contaminated at an alarming rate, threatening both human health and the natural environment.
Air pollution remains one of the most pressing concerns. In cities like Nairobi and Mombasa, thousands of matatus, buses, and boda bodas emit thick fumes into the air every day. Industrial emissions from factories and the burning of garbage in open dumpsites worsen the problem. Residents in busy towns are increasingly exposed to smog and toxic fumes, leading to a rise in respiratory illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. Experts warn that if emissions are not controlled, the long-term effects on public health could be severe.
Water pollution is a challenge too. Rivers such as the Nairobi River and Athi River have become dumping grounds for industrial waste, untreated sewage, and plastic. Lake Victoria, a vital resource for many, is also affected by pollution, with declining fish populations threatening the livelihoods of local fishermen.
Land pollution, caused by improper waste disposal and the overuse of plastic bags and bottles, continues to degrade soil quality and harm wildlife. Dumpsites like Dandora in Nairobi have grown into massive mountains of waste, posing serious health risks to nearby residents and polluting the surrounding air and soil.
However, solutions exist. Kenya’s ban on plastic bags was a positive step, but experts say more must be done, for example, public awareness campaigns can significantly reduce pollution levels.
As pollution continues to threaten Kenya’s environment and well-being, urgent and collective action is needed. Protecting our air, water, and land is not the responsibility of the government alone — it requires the commitment of every citizen.
Questions To Answer
- Name the different kinds of pollution affecting Kenya.
- What are respiratory illnesses?
- In your dictionary, look up the word smog
- Why do you think fish populations are declining?
- How does pollution negatively affect the economy?
Connectors of sequence
These are words or phrases that show the order in which things happen, for example, firstly, in the long run, as soon as, meanwhile, eventually, after that.
Examples
- First, Wanjiku brushed her teeth before going to school.
- Next, she put on her uniform and packed her school bag.
- Then, she ate a quick breakfast of porridge and bread.
- After that, she walked to the bus stop to wait for the matatu.
- Finally, she arrived at school just as the morning bell rang.
Gradeable and Non-gradeable Adjectives
Gradeable adjectives are adjectives that have a different level of a particular quality e.g
- very
- quite
- extremely
- slightly
Examples
The dress is dirty.
The dress is very dirty.
The dress is extremely dirty.
Non-gradeable adjectives express a noun that is complete.
Examples
Their fridge is enormous (not very enormous)
The meal was perfect! (not very perfect)
It is freezing today. (not very freezing)
Three Samples of CBC Grade 8 Apology Letters
Sunrise Primary School,
P.O. Box 55,
Kisumu.
14th September 2026.
Dear Owino,
RE: APOLOGY FOR EMBARRASSING YOU WITH A PRANK
I am writing to sincerely apologize for the prank I played on you during break time yesterday, where I hid your shoes and told everyone you had lost them. I did not stop to think about how embarrassed and upset this would make you feel in front of our classmates.
What I thought was a harmless joke ended up hurting your feelings, and for that I am truly sorry. A good friend should build others up and I regret that I did not think about your feelings before acting.
I promise not to play such pranks on you or anyone else again. I hope you can forgive me, and I would like us to remain the good friends we have always been.
Your friend,
Peterson Kaluma
Twiga Junior School,
P.O. Box 998,
Nairobi.
14th September 2026.
Dear Wamuyu,
RE: APOLOGY FOR BREAKING YOUR GEOMETRY SET
I am writing to apologize for accidentally breaking your geometry set while we were doing our Mathematics assignment on Tuesday. I know how much you needed it for the topic we are covering this term, and I am sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you.
It was careless of me to place my bag on the desk without checking what was underneath it, and I take full responsibility for what happened.
I have asked my mother to buy you a new geometry set, which I will bring to school on Monday so you don’t have to worry about buying another set. I promise to be more careful in future, especially because I am your seatmate.
Your friend,
Wanjiru Mwangi
TiaBidii Primary School,
P.O. Box 55,
Nakuru.
14th September 2026.
The Chairperson,
Environmental Club,
Sunrise Primary School.
Dear Chairperson,
RE: APOLOGY FOR MISSING THE CLUB MEETING
I am writing to apologize for missing last Friday’s Environmental Club meeting without informing you beforehand. I understand that we were planning the tree-planting activity for World Environment Day, and my absence may have inconvenienced the planning process.
The reason I missed the meeting is because my younger brother, Kamau, was complaining of a stomachache after school and I had to take him home quickly. I should have informed you or the club secretary in advance instead of simply missing the meeting.
I value my membership in this club and I’m committed to attending all future meetings and activities. Kindly accept my apology.
Yours faithfully,
Fatuma Wadau
Environmental Club Member, Grade 8
Adverbs of Degree and Frequency
They are used to show the intensity of something.
Examples
- Mueni is very intelligent.
- Omolo ran extremely fast.
- I am almost done with my Math homework.
- The soda is too cold to drink.
- Prakesh was completely exhausted after the volleyball match.
Indefinite Pronouns do not refer to specific people, things, or amounts.
They include: someone, everything, nothing, few, several, no one, nobody, neither, each, some, anything, etc.
Sentence examples:
- Someone left their lunchbox on my desk.
- Is anyone home?
- Everyone enjoyed the school trip to Maasai Mara.
- I don’t have anything to wear.
- Most students finished the test early.
- Both of the boys were late for assembly.
Reflexive Pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing.
Examples
- I hurt myself while playing football.
- She made the dress herself.
- The cat cleaned itself.
- We enjoyed ourselves at the party.
- They built the shed themselves.
Adverbs of Degree and Frequency
Adverbs of Degree show the intensity of something. Examples include:
- Very, extremely, quite, too, so, almost, completely, totally, absolutely, fairly, rather, enough, barely, hardly.
- Anyango is extremely tall for his age.
- The schoolbag is too heavy for me to carry.
- We were completely soaked by the rain.
- She barely made it to the school bus on time.
Adverbs of Frequency tell us how often something happens.
Examples include:
- Always, usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, seldom, never
- Mr. Mwangi always arrives before the bell.
- I usually drink porridge in the morning.
- We often play football after school.
- My uncle sometimes visits us from Mombasa.
- Kwamboka never forgets to do his homework.
SIMILES AND METAPHORS
Examples
- The matatu was as crowded as a market on Saturday morning.
- Mukami’s voice was as sweet as honey from the Kitui forest.
- Edwin ran like a cheetah when he heard the head prefect approachign class.
- The classroom was as quiet as a graveyard during the exam.
- The carpenter’s hands were as rough as sandpaper after making the stoo.
- The moon shone like a silver coin in the night sky.
- The children swarmed around the sambusa seller like bees around a flower.
- Mount Kenya stood as tall as a giant watching over the land.
- She was as busy as an ant during the exam season.
- The rain fell like tiny stones on Mr. Mulama’s iron-sheet roof.
- The Nairobi traffic is a slow-moving snake.
- Persistence is a key that opens many doors.
- The classroom was a beehive of activity.
- Akinyi’s smile was sunshine on a cloudy day.
- The night sky was a black blanket covered in diamonds.
- Time is a thief that steals our days.
- My grandmother’s kitchen is a treasure chest of warm memories.
- The football field was a battlefield on match day.
- The library is a garden where knowledge grows.
NARRATIVE COMPOSITIONS
Matete was known all over Grade 7 as the class joker. He had hidden chalk in the Mrs. Omondi’s drawer, tied his classmates’ shoelaces together, making them fall in a bundle, and once put a rubber lizard in Madam Mutiso’s bag. Everyone laughed, but everyone also remembered.
One Monday morning, Nyakundi stood up in class, his face full of worry. “My Oxford mathematical set is missing!” he said, anxiously. “I left it in my desk on Friday.” The whole class went silent. Then, slowly, every head turned to Matete. “It must be Matete,” whispered Salome at the back. “He plays tricks on everyone.”
“I did not take it!” Matete protested, his heart beating fast. “I have no reason to!” But nobody believed him. Madam Mutiso frowned. “Matete, this is not a joke. If you took it, return it now.” “I did not take it, madam,” he said again, his voice shaking. The teacher shook her head. “Your past behaviour speaks for itself. Come with me to the headteacher’s office. You will be punished for this.” Matete’s eyes filled with tears as he walked to the front of the class. He felt as though the whole world had decided he was guilty. Being the class joker had cost him something far greater than laughter. It had cost him trust.
Just then, Nyakundi began searching his desk again, pulling out his books one by one. Exercise books, a dictionary, a Kiswahili storybook, and then, hidden at the very bottom, beneath a heavy atlas, was the shiny blue Oxford set.
“I found it!” Nyakundi yelled, his cheeks turning red. “It was here all along.” The class fell silent again, this time with shame. Madam Mutiso sighed and placed a hand on Matete’s shoulder. “I am sorry, Matete. I judged you too quickly.” Matete wiped his tears. “It is alright, madam,” he said softly. “But maybe I should stop the pranks.”
From that day, he learned that reputation follows a person everywhere.
When writing narrative compositions, keep in mind the following:-
- INTRODUCTION – The beginning should hook your readers so that they want to read more of the story.
- BODY – Show what the challenge or the problem is. Use figurative language, similies, idioms and metaphors.
- CONCLUSION – How does the story end up? What happens to the characters in the story?
Phrasal Verbs
- Wake up – Kangethe wakes up early every morning to go to St. Mvuto Senior School.
- Look after – Nasiche looks after her younger siblings who are eight and seven years old respectively.
- Give up – Never give up on your dreams.
- Turn off – Please turn off the lights before closing the door.
- Carry on – The teacher told them to carry on with their assignment.
- Run out of – Teacher Ben ran out of chalk during the lesson.
- Put on – Mueni put on her school sweater because it was chilly.
- Pick up – My neighbour, Mr. Ahmed, picks me up from school every evening.
- Break down – The matatu broke down on the way to town.
- Look forward to – The pupils look forward to the school trip.
IDIOMS
An idiom is a group of words whose meaning cannot be understood easily, or words that have a hidden meaning. Below, is a story with several idioms. Can you identify them?
Morara was known to be lazy with his studies. Every time his mother asked about his homework, he would say he was under the weather and needed rest, even though he was feeling fine. His sister Kwamboka often warned him that he was playing with fire by ignoring his schoolwork while the exams were so close. But Morara would simply laugh it off and continue watching football matches on television.
One evening, his father, Mr. Makori, came home and found Morara’s exercise books still closed on the table. “Morara, you cannot keep burying your head in the sand,” he said firmly. “The exams are just around the corner, and if you do not prepare, you will bite off more than you can chew when results come out.” Morara finally understood that his father was not joking. He realized he had been killing time instead of using it wisely.
That night, Morara decided to turn over a new leaf. He switched off the television and opened his books. At first, it felt like an uphill battle, but slowly, he got used to it. Weeks later, when KNEC released the results, Morara had scored better than he ever imagined. His mother smiled and said, “Morara, you have truly hit the nail on the head this time — hard work really does pay off.” From that day, Morara never looked back, and he always remembered that success does not come to those who sit on their hands.
Active Voice is when the subject of the sentence is the doer or performs the action. The focus is on who or what is doing something.
Five examples of Active Voice:
- Wanjiru cooked ugali for dinner.
- Mr. Nyakundi explained the Biology lesson clearly.
- Cheplagat broke the school window yesterday.
- The farmer harvests maize every September.
- Wafula wrote an email to his cousin.
Passive Voice is when the subject receives the action, rather than doing it.
Five examples of Passive Voice:
- Ugali was cooked by Wanjiru for dinner.
- The Biology lesson was explained clearly by Mr. Nyakundi.
- The school window was broken by Cheplagat yesterday.
- Maize is harvested every September.
- The email was written by Wafula to his cousin.
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Mueni had been staring at the little brown carton for a full ten minutes, afraid that if she blinked, it would disappear.
Her uncle, Mutiso, had driven in from Machakos that morning, his old Probox rattling down their street in Embakasi. He had stepped out with a sheepish grin and a box that wouldn’t stop mewing. A farmer near Kangundo had too many of these, he explained, and he had thought of her.
Now the box sat on the sitting room floor, between the sofa and the lace-covered television. Mueni knelt beside it, her school sweater still on, her heart racing as if she had run all the way from Kayole. Slowly, she lifted the flap.
A tiny kitten looked back at her, the colour of milk tea. Mueni named her Chai on the spot. The afternoon was spent making a bed from an old kitenge cloth and a cardboard box. A small saucer of milk was poured, then set aside with a frown, because Chai seemed to prefer chasing the shadow of the curtain. From room to room, Mueni followed.
By evening, Chai had begun to sneeze. Her eyes looked watery, and she curled into a tight ball and refused to play. Mueni’s excitement drained away, replaced by a cold worry. Her father said the kitten was only tired, but Mueni was already at the door, holding Chai wrapped in her sweater.
The next morning, they walked to the small animal clinic near the stage. The vet, a woman in a green coat with a stethoscope draped around her neck, examined Chai gently. It was only a mild cold, she said, common in kittens who have travelled. With warmth, rest and a few drops, Chai would be chasing curtains again by Friday. Mueni was awed by the way the vet spoke softly to the kitten, as if every word could be understood.
When Mueni asked how such a skill was learned, the vet, whose name was Maria, spoke of years of school and a great deal of patience. She had studied at the University of Nairobi, she said, and since animals cannot say where it hurts, one learns to listen in other ways.
On the walk home, Mueni was quiet for a long while. Then she told her mother that she knew what she wanted to be. Mama asked if it was the same as last week, when it had been a pilot. It was not.
“I want to be a vet,” Mueni said. “I want to be the one who knows how to treat sick animals.”
Mama glanced at her and smiled, saying nothing, but the shopping bag was shifted to her other hand so that a palm could rest on her daughter’s shoulder. By Friday, Chai was racing around the sitting room, ambushing Mueni’s school shoes. That night, Mueni sat at the table with her Science exercise book, her handwriting neater than usual, and wrote across the top of a fresh page: Things I Must Learn to Become a Vet.
Chai jumped onto the page and sat down squarely on the first line. Mueni laughed, and let her stay.
When writing descriptive stories, ensure that you show rather than tell. Let the reader have a picture in his or her mind of what the characters in the story are doing, what they look like or how the food smells. Let the story come to life.
Examples in the story:
The Probox rattling down the street in Embakasi
the lace-covered television
Mueni follows the kitten from room to room.
The vet, a woman in a green coat with a stethoscope draped around her neck.