In the following example all the eighth notes are played off the beat. Playing off the beat creates an effect known as syncopation, which means displacing the normal flow of accents (usually from on the beat to off the beat). Syncopated rhythms can be difficult at first but are common in many styles of music, so stick with it. Count and tap your foot to keep time as you play.
Here are some more syncopated parts created by the use of eighth rests on the beat.