English for Class 8 is an official textbook published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB), Lahore. It follows the standard Grade 8 curriculum approved for Punjab Board schools. The book covers reading comprehension, grammar, writing skills, and oral communication as per the official syllabus.
Class 8 students preparing for annual board examinations will find this book essential. It contains 14 chapters of prose and poetry along with three review sections for revision. The PDF is available in both the 2014 and 2020 editions — both are official PCTB publications.
Book Overview
- Class: 8
- Subject: English
- Board: Punjab Board (PCTB)
- Authors: Rafiq Mahmood, B.A. Chishty, Z.I. Farooqui, Mohammad Aslam, Mrs. Sabiha Saleem
- Publisher: Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB), Lahore
- Total Chapters: 14 + 3 Reviews
- Language: English
- Format: PDF
Chapter List
Chapter 1 – Tolerance of the Rasool (ﷺ)
This chapter highlights the extraordinary patience and tolerance shown by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). Students develop reading comprehension skills and study grammar topics including suffix, adverbs of manner, time and place, and negative and interrogative sentences.
Chapter 2 – A Dialogue
A dialogue-based chapter that builds conversation and problem-solving skills. Grammar focus includes present perfect tense, use of has/have, and punctuation marks such as dash and hyphen. Writing activities include paragraph writing and a thanksgiving note.
Chapter 3 – On the Ocean (Poem)
A descriptive poem that teaches students to recognize and use new vocabulary. Language topics include rhyming words, making nouns from verbs, and similes. Summary writing and paragraph writing are practiced as writing activities.
Chapter 4 – An Exhibition
This chapter describes an exhibition visit and develops reading comprehension and matching skills. Grammar topics include present perfect continuous tense, use of “for” and “since”, and word opposites. Paragraph writing is the main writing activity.
Review – 01
The first review covers all topics from Chapters 1 to 4. It includes reading comprehension, paragraph writing, dialogue writing, and oral communication exercises to help students revise and consolidate what they have learned.
Chapter 5 – Magic Show
An engaging story about a magic show that develops brainstorming and reading comprehension skills. Language topics include synonyms, antonyms, sentence correction, and thesaurus usage. Creative writing and dialogue writing are also covered.
Chapter 6 – The Twins (Poem)
A poem that introduces phrasal verbs and word meaning. Students study pair of words, homophones, and finding meaning in context. Writing activities include re-writing sample sentences, get-well-soon cards, and sentence writing.
Chapter 7 – Clever Mirchu
A folk-style story that teaches students to understand story elements and character traits. Grammar topics include word opposites, articles, and finding meaning in context. Writing activities include story writing using elements of story, character sketch, and dialogue writing.
Chapter 8 – Hockey
A chapter about Pakistan’s national sport that builds vocabulary and grammar skills. Language topics include synonyms, adverbs, negative sentences, tenses, use of why and when, determiners, and thesaurus usage. Creative and dialogue writing are included.
Review – 02
The second review covers Chapters 5 to 8. It includes comprehensive reading, writing, and oral communication practice to help students prepare for mid-term and annual board examinations.
Chapter 9 – Prayer (Poem)
A spiritual poem that teaches prepositions of time, position, movement, and direction. Students also study rhyming words and dictionary usage. Writing activities focus on summary writing and paraphrase.
Chapter 10 – Hazrat Umar (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ)
A chapter on the life and character of Hazrat Umar (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) that extends students’ conceptual understanding of events. Grammar topics include articles, present perfect continuous, synonyms, antonyms, countable/uncountable nouns, and verb forms.
Chapter 11 – A Great Virtue
A values-based chapter focused on reading comprehension. Language topics include adjectives and dictionary usage. Writing activities include dialogue writing, paragraph writing, and making sentences.
Chapter 12 – Water is a Lovely Thing (Poem)
A poem about the beauty and importance of water. Students study concrete and abstract nouns, metaphor, syllable division, and rhyming words. The chapter also covers implied meaning and dictionary usage.
Chapter 13 – The Telephone
A chapter about the invention and use of the telephone. Students practice fill in the blanks and choose the correct option exercises. Language focus includes proverbs and dictionary usage. Sentence writing and creative writing are the main writing activities.
Chapter 14 – Let’s Make Our Roads Safer!
The final chapter focuses on road safety awareness. Grammar topics include synonyms and antonyms, making sentences, thesaurus usage, and syllable division. Writing activities include dialogue writing and paragraph writing.
Review – 03
The third and final review covers Chapters 9 to 14. It provides comprehensive practice for reading, writing, and oral communication to fully prepare students for their annual board examination.
Download English Class 8 Book PDF
Click the button below to download the English Class 8 PCTB book PDF. Both the 2014 and 2020 editions are available — select the one that matches your current syllabus.
Who Should Read This Book?
This book is for Class 8 students studying under the Punjab Board. It is the official PCTB English textbook and is required for annual board examinations. Students will be well prepared for reading, writing, grammar, and oral communication sections of their exams after going through this book.
Applicable Boards
This textbook is published by PCTB and is the primary English book for Punjab Board Class 8 students. Students from other provincial boards with a similar English syllabus may also use it for additional practice and reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the official English textbook for Class 8 Punjab Board?
Yes. This is the official English textbook published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB), Lahore. It is prescribed for all Class 8 students studying under the Punjab Board curriculum.
What is the difference between the 2014 and 2020 editions?
Both are official PCTB publications with the same 14 chapters and 3 review sections. The 2020 edition may include minor updates in some exercises. Both editions are available for download on this page.
Does this book include grammar and writing exercises?
Yes. Every chapter includes dedicated sections on grammar (Formal and Lexical Aspects of Language), writing skills, and oral communication activities alongside reading and thinking exercises.
Can students from other boards use this book?
Yes. Students from Federal Board or other provincial boards with a similar English syllabus can use this book for extra practice. However, it is officially designed and prescribed for Punjab Board Class 8 students.