Answers:
1. RIDE/RID (Extra letter: E)
2. HAT/THAT (Extra letter: T)
3. ART/PART (Extra letter: P)
4. ATE/LATE (Extra letter: L)
5. ILL/HILL (Extra letter: H)
6. EAR/EARN (Extra letter: N)
7. MAT/MEAT (Extra letter: E)
8. WAY/AWAY (Extra letter: A)
Challenge:
The extra letters are: E, T, P, L, H, N, E, Α.
The 8-letter word for an animal is:
ELEPHANT