Denotation and Connotation

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Hint: Determine the connotation (positive or negative) through context clues.

My friend is very careful about spending money. I admire that, so I call him ______________.

• thrifty

• stingy

• miserly

• selfish

Tags

CCSS.L.6.5C

CCSS.L.7.5C

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Read the sentences and answer the question. Winning by seven strokes, Tiger Woods won the tournament. Winning by seven strokes, Tiger Woods dominated the tournament. How does the connotation of the word dominated in the second sentence convey the author’s purpose?

• It shows that he won by a small margin.

• It emphasizes that he easily won.

• It implies that he played with arrogance and pride.

• It implies that he cheated in order to win.

Tags

CCSS.L.7.5C

CCSS.L.8.5C

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Read the sentences and answer the question. I gave the most difficult task to Yandy because she is the most stubborn person I know. I gave the most difficult task to Yandy because she is the most persistent person I know. How does the connotation of the word persistent in the second sentence convey the author’s purpose?

• It implies a positive characteristic.

• It implies an increasingly negative characteristic.

• It implies a careless characteristic.

• It implies a playfully irresponsible characteristic.

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5C

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Consider the following sentences. I hear my brother talking on the phone with his girlfriend. I hear my brother chatting on the phone with his girlfriend. How does the connotation of the word chatting in the second sentence convey the author’s purpose?

• It implies the conversation is not serious.

• It implies that the conversation is funny.

• It implies anger or resentment in the conversations.

• It implies the conversation is very serious.

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5C

CCSS.L.9-10.5B

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Read the sentences. What is the difference between the words surprised and astounded?

A. Julie was surprised to find out that her grandma was coming for a visit.

B. Julie was astounded to find out that her grandma was coming for a visit.

• "Surprised" is an antonym of "astounded".

• "Astounded" is more intense than "surprised" and implies that Julie was even more shocked.

• "Surprised" is more intense than "astounded" and implies that Julie was even more shocked.

• "Surprised" and "astounded" have different denotations.

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Read the sentences. What is the difference between the words mortified and embarrassed?

A. Sam was mortified when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

B. Sam was embarrassed when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

• "Mortified" is an antonym of "embarrassed".

• "Embarrassed is more intense and has more negative connotation than "mortified".

• "Mortified" is more intense and has more negative connotation than "embarrassed".

• "Mortified" and "embarrassed" have different denotations.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Read the sentence. The answer choices have similar denotations. Which answer choice has the most negative connotation?

On moving day they transported all their belongings to their new home.

• sent

• lugged

• moved

• carried

Tags

CCSS.L.7.5C

CCSS.L.8.5C

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

Read the sentence. The answer choices have similar denotations. Which answer choice has the most negative connotation?

Cal really likes the unusual architecture of the house.

• odd

• rare

• unique

• uncommon

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Read the sentence. The answer choices have similar denotations. Which answer choice has the most positive connotation?

Cal's wife wanted to move, and she was stubborn about it.

• pushy

• defiant

• obstinate

• determined

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Read the sentence. The answer choices have similar denotations. Which answer choice has the most positive connotation?

Cal and his wife had a debate about moving to a new home.

• quarrel

• dispute

• discussion

• disagreement

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4