Positive, negative and neutral connotations

Which word has a positive connotation?

• stubborn

• determined

• pig-headed

• unyielding

Answer explanation

While all the words mean not giving up easily, 'determined' has a positive connotation, suggesting admirable persistence. 'Stubborn' and 'pig-headed' are negative, and 'unyielding' is often neutral or negative.

Sort these words by their connotation: Positive or Negative.

Groups:

(a) Positive

,

(b) Negative

• confident

• arrogant

• reckless

• brave

Answer explanation

'Confident' and 'brave' are seen as good qualities (positive), while 'arrogant' (overly proud) and 'reckless' (carelessly dangerous) are seen as bad qualities (negative).

Which sentence uses a word with a neutral connotation to describe how someone ate?

• He gobbled his lunch in two minutes.

• She nibbled on her sandwich.

• My brother ate his apple.

• The wolf devoured the entire meal.

Answer explanation

The word 'ate' is neutral; it simply states the action. 'Gobbled' and 'devoured' have a negative or greedy connotation, while 'nibbled' suggests eating in a delicate or hesitant way.

Match each word to its general connotation.

• Negative (strange in an unsettling way)

• Peculiar

• Positive (special and one-of-a-kind)

• Unique

• Neutral (not the same)

• Different

Answer explanation

Each word is matched to its associated feeling. 'Unique' is a compliment, 'peculiar' often implies something is weird or wrong, and 'different' is a factual, neutral description.

Which word has the MOST negative connotation?

• thin

• slender

• lanky

• scrawny

Answer explanation

'Scrawny' has the most negative connotation, suggesting someone is unhealthily and unattractively thin. 'Slender' is positive, 'thin' is neutral, and 'lanky' is neutral but implies awkwardness.

Sort these words used to describe a home into three groups: Positive, Negative, or Neutral.

Groups:

(a) Positive

,

(b) Negative

,

(c) Neutral

• large

• shabby

• cramped

• cozy

• small

• spacious

Answer explanation

Words are sorted by the feeling they create. 'Cozy' and 'spacious' are positive. 'Cramped' and 'shabby' are negative. 'Small' and 'large' are neutral descriptions of size.

Choose the word that gives the sentence a negative feeling: 'The crowd let out a loud _____ at the referee's bad call.'

• cheer

• shout

• jeer

• sound

Answer explanation

'Jeer' specifically means to make rude and mocking remarks, which carries a strong negative connotation appropriate for a crowd unhappy with a call. 'Cheer' is positive, while 'shout' and 'sound' are more neutral.

The literal, dictionary definition of a word, without any emotional association, is called its...

• connotation

• denotation

• antonym

• synonym

Answer explanation

Denotation is the strict, literal meaning of a word, as you would find in a dictionary. Connotation refers to the emotional feelings or ideas a word suggests.

Sort these similar words into two groups based on their feeling: Positive or Negative.

Groups:

(a) Positive

,

(b) Negative

• thrifty

• nosy

• curious

• cheap

Answer explanation

'Thrifty' (careful with money) and 'curious' (eager to learn) are positive traits. 'Cheap' (unwilling to spend) and 'nosy' (prying into others' business) are their negative counterparts.

Match each word describing a smell to its connotation.

• Positive (a pleasant smell)

• Fragrance

• Negative (a very bad smell)

• Stench

• Neutral (a general smell)

• Odor

Answer explanation

'Fragrance' implies a pleasant smell, like flowers. 'Stench' implies a foul, disgusting smell, like garbage. 'Odor' is a neutral term that can be good or bad.