Meaning & use
eight
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Meanings
number
The number 8; one more than seven.
Grammar: Used before a noun to give a quantity: eight chairs.
Patterns
- eight of something
- eight years old
There are eight chairs around the table.
She has eight brothers and sisters.
The meeting starts at eight o'clock.
nouncountable
The number 8, or a group of eight people or things.
Grammar: Can be plural: two eights.
Patterns
- a group of eight
- in eights
The team won by eight points.
The children were arranged in eights for the photo.
nouncountablesport
In rowing, a boat for eight rowers.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'an eight'.
Patterns
- row an eight
- the eight
The college eight won the race.
He rows in the first eight.
Common combinations
- eight o'clock
- I'll meet you at eight o'clock.
- figure eight
- The skater traced a figure eight on the ice.
- behind the eight ball
- After missing the deadline, he was behind the eight ball.
- piece of eight
- The pirate treasure included pieces of eight.
Word family
Commonly confused: eight or ate?
eight vs ate
Ate is the past tense of eat; eight is the number 8. They sound the same but are spelled differently.
Practice
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: There are _____ students in the class.
Choose one answer.
Eight is the number 8, which fits the context of a class size. Eighth is an ordinal (coming after seventh), eighty is 80, and eighteen is 18; none of these fit the typical class size.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “eight”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.