Erasers: questions and Band 8 answers

Not very often these days, to be honest. Most of my work is on a laptop, so I rarely pick up a traditional pencil. However, when I'm sketching out floor plans for DIY projects at the weekend, I always keep a soft rubber handy to rub out mistakes.

Absolutely, all the time back in primary school. We were only allowed to write in pencil for the first few years, so my pencil case was crammed with rubbers. I remember constantly correcting my spelling errors during maths and literacy lessons.

I definitely lean towards a separate eraser. The little ones attached to the tops of pencils tend to smudge the graphite and leave messy marks on the page. A standalone block eraser gives a much cleaner finish and lasts significantly longer.

Yes, I collected quite a few when I was younger. I used to buy collectable rubbers shaped like animals or tiny pieces of fruit from the local stationer's shop. Ironically, they were awful at rubbing things out, but they looked brilliant sitting on my desk.

I suppose their everyday use might decline as digital tablets take over in classrooms, but they won't disappear completely. Artists, architects, and designers will probably always rely on physical paper and pencils to brainstorm, meaning a good-quality eraser will remain an essential tool.