Haryana Board (HBSE) Class 8 English Half Yearly Question Paper 2026 Answer Key
Instructions :
• All questions are compulsory.
• Questions 1 to 15 carry 1 mark each.
• Questions 16 to 21 carry 2 marks each.
• Questions 22 to 27 carry 3 marks each.
• Questions 28 to 30 carry 5 marks each.
1. Identify the correct tense of the sentence :
“It has been raining since morning.”
(a) Present continuous tense
(b) Present perfect tense
(c) Present perfect continuous tense
(d) Past perfect tense
Answer – (c) Present perfect continuous tense
2. Choose the most appropriate modal verb for a polite request to fill in the blanks.
………….. I come in?
(a) Can
(b) May
(c) Could
(d) might
Answer – (b) May
3. Select the correct form of the verb :
If ………… he hard, he will succeed.
(a) worked
(b) works
(c) will work
(d) work
Answer – (b) works
4. Identify the correct conjunction to fill the blank.
He was late ………… he missed the train.
(a) so
(b) but
(c) because
(d) or
Answer – (a) so
5. Identify the type of sentence :
What a beautiful painting this is!
(a) Interrogative
(b) Imperative
(c) Exclamatory
(d) Declarative
Answer – (c) Exclamatory
6. Rearrange the jumbled sentence :
Loves / she / to / the / beach / at / the / swim.
(a) Loves she to the beach at the swim.
(b) She loves to swim at the beach.
(c) She at the beach loves to swim.
(d) To swim at the beach she loves.
Answer – (b) She loves to swim at the beach.
7. The starving cricket went to an ant and requested it to lend him …………
(a) some clothes
(b) some money
(c) a mouthful of grain
(d) a quilt
Answer – (c) a mouthful of grain
8. Hawking was a ………….
(a) farmer
(b) scientist
(c) teacher
(d) generalist
Answer – (b) scientist
9. Jody’s father had been bitten by …………..
(a) a dog
(b) a horse
(c) rattle snake
(d) a tiger
Answer – (c) rattle snake
10. What was the name of the youngest daughter of the king?
(a) Princess August
(b) Princess September
(c) Princess July
(d) Princess May
Answer – (b) Princess September
11. Rewrite the following sentence into interrogative.
She is writing a book.
Answer – Is she writing a book?
12. My father lives ………… Delhi. (in / at)
Answer – in
13. Who wrote the poem ‘The School Boy’?
Answer – William Blake
14. ‘Toothbrush’ is a compound word. (True / False)
Answer – True
15. Choose the correct spelling Knowledge / Knowledege
Answer – Knowledge
16. Why had Velu run away from home?
Answer – Velu ran away from home because his father was a drunkard who beat him and his sisters regularly and snatched away all the money they earned.
17. What, according to the writer, did the experience as an Everest climber teach him? (The Summit within)
Answer – According to the author, H.P.S. Ahluwalia, the experience of climbing Mount Everest taught him to face life’s challenges with determination, endurance, and tenacity.
18. Did the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous? If so, why?
Answer – Yes, the writer felt nervous because Stephen Hawking was a world-famous scientist and the writer was excited and anxious about meeting such a great personality.
19. Where do the snakes and rodents take shelters? Why?
Answer – Snakes and rodents take shelter in holes, burrows and bushes because these places protect them from predators and harsh weather.
20. Why did the camel live in the middle of the desert?
Answer – The camel lived in the middle of the desert because it was a lazy animal and did not want to work like the other animals.
21. What surprises the warrior? (The Fight)
Answer – The warrior is surprised by Ranji’s excellent diving skills. He is amazed at how confidently Ranji dives and swims underwater.
22. Read the following stanza carefully and answer the questions given below :
I love to rise in the summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me,
O! What a sweet company.
Questions :
(i) Identify two words or phrases from the stanza that express the child’s happiness and joy.
Answer – “I love to rise” and “sweet company”
(ii) State the rhyming scheme used in the stanza.
Answer – ababc
(iii) The most appropriate word that best replaces ‘winds’ in the third line is :
(a) rings
(b) beats
(c) blows
(d) whistles
Answer – (c) blows
23. Read the text and answer the questions that follow :
Velu stares, this was a canal? Near some puddles of water was a row of the strangest huts he had ever seen. They were built out of all sorts of things- metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood and plastic. They stood crookedly and looked as if they would fall any moment. “Is this where you live? These houses are strange!” said Velu. ” In our villages, the houses are made of mud and palm leaves.”
Questions :
(i) Of which material were the houses made of?
Answer – Houses were made of metal sheets, tyres, bricks, wood and plastic.
(ii) Did Jaya too live in one of such houses?
Answer – Yes
(iii) Why was Velu surprised to see the houses?
Answer – Velu was surprised because the huts were strange, crooked and looked as if they could fall any moment.
24. If Tilly’s award was to be shared, who would you think she should share it with, her parents or geography teacher and why?
Answer – Tilly should share her award with her geography teacher because the teacher had taught her about tsunamis and their warning signs. This knowledge helped her recognize the danger and save many lives.
25. “The giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms.” What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish giant?
Answer – This sentence indicates that the once selfish giant had now become kind and loving. The white blossoms symbolize peace, happiness and the end of his selfishness.
26. Princess September kept her window open day and night. How did it help the princess herself?
Answer – Keeping the window open helped Princess September because the little bird could come and go freely, sing for her and keep her happy.
27. In what way is the forest pool different from the one which Ranji knew in the Rajputana desert?
Answer – The forest pool was clear, cool and surrounded by trees, while the pool in the Rajputana desert was dirty, muddy and crowded.
28. Read the following passage carefully and answer the following questions :
About the year 1900, a small, dark-haired boy named Charles Chaplin was often seen waiting outside the back entrances of London theatres. He looked thin and hungry but his blue eyes were determined. He was hoping to get work in show business. He could sing and dance. His parents were music-hall performers and he had been born into the life of the theatre. And, although his own boyhood was painfully hard, he knew how to make people laugh. His own father had died from drinking too much. And his mother was not really able to look after Charles and his older half-brother, Sid. She was often sick in mind and had to be sent into hospital.
Questions :
(i) The boy Charles Chaplin was ………..
(a) Brown-haired
(b) dark-haired
(c) Red-haired
(d) light-haired
Answer – (b) dark-haired
(ii) Chaplin thought to get a job in …………
(a) soap business
(b) hotel business
(c) show business
(d) hospital business
Answer – (c) show business
(iii) His parents were …………
(a) music-hall performers
(b) actors
(c) singers
(d) directors
Answer – (a) music-hall performers
(iv) His father had died due to ………..
(a) an illness
(b) accident
(c) drinking
(d) suicide
Answer – (c) drinking
(v) The meaning of ‘determined’ is ………..
(a) mind made up
(b) mind turn up
(c) mind fade up
(d) mind turn down
Answer – (a) mind made up
29. Who is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered in the lesson “Glimpses of the Past”?
Answer – An artisan is a skilled manual worker who creates functional or decorative items by hand. In “Glimpses of the Past,” they suffered because the British imposed very high taxes on them and flooded the Indian market with cheap machine-made goods from England, which destroyed the local traditional hand-made industry.
OR
Write a report on the class trip to Taj Mahal last Saturday.
Answer – Last Saturday, our class went on a trip to the Taj Mahal in Agra. We started early in the morning with our teachers. When we reached there, we were amazed by the beauty of the Taj Mahal. The white marble building looked very beautiful and grand. Our teacher told us about its history and that it was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. We took many photographs and enjoyed the peaceful garden around it. The trip was very interesting and educational. We returned home in the evening with happy memories.
30. Write an application to the principal of your school requesting the remission of a fine.
Answer –
To
The Principal
Govt Sr Sec School, Charkhi Dadri
Subject : Request for remission of fine
Respected Sir/Madam,
I beg to say that I am a student of Class VII in your school. I could not attend school for two days due to illness. Because of this, I was unable to complete and submit my homework on time. Therefore, a fine was imposed on me.
I request you to kindly remit my fine as I was absent due to genuine reasons. I assure you that I will be regular in my studies and will complete my work on time in the future.
Thank you.
Yours obediently
Jatin Kumar
Class VII
OR
Write a paragraph on the topic “A Visit to Zoo.”
Answer – Last Sunday, I visited the zoo with my parents. The zoo was full of different kinds of animals and birds. I saw lions, tigers, elephants, deer, monkeys and many colourful birds. The lion looked very strong and the monkeys were jumping from one branch to another. We also saw a large elephant and a tall giraffe. The zoo was clean and well maintained. I learned many things about wild animals. It was a very enjoyable and interesting visit.
Haryana Board (HBSE) Class 8 English Half Yearly Question Paper 2025 Answer Key
Instructions :
• All questions are compulsory.
• Questions (1-10) carry 1 mark each.
• Questions (11-12) carry 2 marks each.
• Questions (13-14) carry 3 marks each.
• Questions (15-16) carry 5 marks each.
1. What did the children in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands see when the tsunami struck?
(a) Water receding
(b) A huge wave
(c) Fish stranded on land
(d) All of the above
Answer – (b) A huge wave
2. The camel got his hump because :
(a) He was lazy
(b) He ate too much
(c) He worked too hard
(d) He was born with it
Answer – (a) He was lazy
3. Use the correct form of verb :
The sun …………. in the east.
(a) Rise
(b) Rises
(c) Risen
(d) Rose
Answer – (b) Rises
4. Fill in the blank using the article :
She has …………. inkpot.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
(d) no article
Answer – (b) an
5. Choose the correct modal auxiliary :
You …………… finish your homework before you go out to play.
(a) can
(b) might
(c) should
(d) could
Answer – (c) should
6. Why was the cricket complaining in the poem “The Ant and the Cricket”?
Answer – Because the cricket did not prepare or store food for the winter and is now cold and starving.
7. Who wrote the letter that Connie found? (The Best Christmas Present in the World)
Answer – Jim Macpherson
8. Keeping in mind, “The Last Bargain”, the synonym for the word “contentment” is ………….. (Satisfaction / Ambition)
Answer – Satisfaction
9. What does The School Boy compare himself with?
Answer – He compares himself with a bird in a cage.
10. The Tsunami- The story about Ignesious’s family is from which place?
Answer – Katchall, an island in the Nicobar group of islands.
11. What did Jim Macpherson write in his letter?
Answer – Jim Macpherson wrote to his wife about the Christmas truce between the British and German soldiers, where both sides celebrated Christmas together and shared food and laughter instead of fighting.
12. Describe the cricket’s situation in the poem “The Ant and the Cricket”.
Answer – In ‘The Ant and the Cricket,’ the cricket’s situation is one of desperation, hunger, and cold because he did not prepare for winter. He spent the summer singing and dancing instead of collecting food. Now, with an empty cupboard and no shelter, he is forced to beg the ant for help.
13. Write a short paragraph about a festival celebrated in your community.
Answer – One of the most important festivals celebrated in our community is Diwali, the festival of lights. It marks the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile and his victory over Ravana. People clean and decorate their homes with diyas, candles, and colourful rangoli. At night, everyone lights lamps, bursts crackers, and shares sweets with family and friends. The festival spreads joy and teaches us that truth and goodness always triumph over evil. Diwali brings a sense of unity, happiness, and hope to all.
OR
You are Meena of class 8, the secretary of the art club in junior school. Write a notice for school notice board regarding art competition in school for grade 6th to 8th students.
Answer –
Junior School Art Club
Date: 28 October 20XX
Subject: Art Competition for Grades 6 to 8
The Art Club of our school is going to organize an Art Competition for students of Grades 6 to 8 on 2nd November 202XX in the School Auditorium. The theme of the competition is “Nature and Environment”.
Interested students can give their names to the undersigned by 30th October 20XX. All participants must bring their own drawing materials. Attractive prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Meena
(Secretary, Art Club)
Class 8
14. How does “How the Camel Got His Hump” explain the origin of the camel’s hump in a humorous way?
Answer – The story “How the Camel Got His Hump” explains the origin of the camel’s hump in a funny and imaginative way. It tells how the camel was lazy and refused to work, always saying “Humph!” to everyone. To teach him a lesson, the Djinn of All Deserts punished the camel by giving him a big hump on his back. The hump allowed him to work longer without eating, making up for the days he had wasted. The story humorously shows that idleness leads to extra burdens, while giving a playful explanation of how the camel got its hump.
15. Discuss the character traits of Velu from “Children at Work” and how they help him survive in the city.
Answer – Velu’s survival in the city reflects his courage, determination, and adaptability in the face of hardship. Though frightened and confused at first, he quickly learns to observe, think, and act wisely. With Jaya’s guidance, Velu overcomes his fear and hunger, finds work as a ragpicker, and begins to understand the realities of city life. His intelligence, resilience, and willingness to learn help him turn his struggle into strength. Despite his difficult circumstances, Velu shows a strong will to live and rebuild his life with dignity.
16. Read the passage below and answer the following questions :
“I heard some confusion downstairs. I got up and saw that my family was awake. It was still dark. I asked what the matter was. My father said that he had heard a strange noise coming from the sea. I went out with my father to see what it was. We could see nothing in the dark, but the sound continued. It was like a low, rumbling thunder, but it was steady and did not stop.”
Questions :
(a) What time of day does the passage suggest the events took place?
Answer – At night or early morning
(b) What did the narrator’s father hear?
Answer – The narrator’s father heard a strange noise coming from the sea .
(c) How did the narrator’s family react to the noise?
Answer – The narrator’s family woke up in confusion and concern.
(d) What did the sound resemble, according to the narrator?
Answer – According to the narrator, the sound resembled a low, rumbling thunder that was steady and did not stop.
(e) What did the narrator and his father do after hearing the noise?
Answer – After hearing the noise, the narrator and his father went out to see what it was.
Haryana Board (HBSE) Class 8 English SAT-1 Question Paper 2025 Answer Key
Instructions :
• All questions are compulsory.
• Questions (1-5) carry 1 mark each.
• Question (6) carry 2 marks.
• Question (7) carry 3 marks.
• Question (8) carry 5 marks.
1. Who wrote the letter in the lesson “The Best Christmas Present in the World”?
(a) Connie
(b) Jim Macpherson
(c) Mrs. Macpherson
(d) Jeanne
Answer – (b) Jim Macpherson
2. Which tense is used in the sentence “I bought this black dress yesterday”?
(a) Present Simple
(b) Present Continuous
(c) Past Indefinite
(d) Future Simple
Answer – (c) Past Indefinite
3. When I was younger, I ……………. ran very fast.
(a) could
(b) cannot
(c) could not
(d) can
Answer – (a) could
4. In “How the Camel Got His Hump,” the camel’s hump was a result of :
(a) Eating too much
(b) Magic
(c) Working hard
(d) Being lazy
Answer – (d) Being lazy
5. A voice announced something on a loud speaker. (Voice)
(a) Something was announced by a voice on a loud speaker.
(b) Something is announced by a voice on a loud speaker.
(c) Something has been announced by a voice on a loud speaker.
(d) Something had been announced by a voice on a loud speaker.
Answer – (a) Something was announced by a voice on a loud speaker.
6. The cricket says, “Oh! What will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
Answer – The cricket speaks these words in the winter season. He says it because he finds no food anywhere.
7. Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give reason for your answer?
Answer – Velu was not happy to find work. He had to accept it because there was no choice. He says that he will do this work until he finds a better one.
8. Read the passage and answer the following questions :
On the morning of December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean experienced one of the most devastating tsunamis in recorded history. It was triggered by a massive underwater earthquake. The waves swept across coastal areas, causing immense destruction and loss of life. Many stories of survival emerged, highlighting human resilience and the instinct to help others in times of need.
Questions :
(i) When did the Indian Ocean tsunami occur?
Answer – On the morning of December 26, 2004
(ii) What caused the tsunami?
Answer – Underwater Earthquake
(iii) Where did this incident happen?
Answer – This incident happened in Thailand and the Indian Ocean.
(iv) What was the impact of the tsunami on coastal areas?
Answer – Immense destruction and loss of life.
(v) What did the stories of survival highlight about human nature?
Answer – Human resilience and the instinct to help others in times of need.