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Connotation, Denotation, and Figurative Language

Total questions: 52

Worksheet time: 3hrs 56mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Denotation is...

a)

everything the word suggests and all the associations that come with it

b)

the literal definition (meaning) of a word

c)

how the word makes you feel

2.

Connotation is...

a)

the literal meaning of a word

b)

all the nonliteral meanings and feelings you associate with a word.

c)

the definition of a word

3.

What is the difference between denotations and connotations?

a)

Denotations are the simple dictionary definition of a word, while connotations carry feelings of a word

b)

Denotations are feelings, connotations aren't

c)

Connotations are words that end in vowels, denotations are words that describe verbs.

d)

Denotations and connotations are the same exact thing.

4.

True or False: Words can have positive, negative, or neutral connotations.

a)

True

b)

False

5.

Choose the word that has a positive connotation to complete the sentence.

Everyone in the office respects Casey because of her kind but ________ attitude.

a)

assertive

b)

bossy

c)

demanding

6.
Choose the word that has a positive connotation to complete the sentence.
"Well," said Curtis with an embarrassed smile, "I'm looking for _________ car."
a)
an inexpensive
b)
a cheaper
c)
a more economical
7.
Choose the word that has a negative connotation to complete the sentence.
We're worried about Amy; she's lost so much weight that she looks ________.
a)
Trim
b)
boney
c)
slender
8.
Choose the word that has a positive connotation to complete the sentence.
What makes Jewel so difficult to understand is that she is rather __________. 
a)
withdrawn
b)
shy
c)
stuck up
9.
Choose the word that has a negative connotation to complete the sentence.
The outlaw felt ________ when he made the "Ten Most Wanted" list. 
a)
celebrated
b)
notorious
c)
exalted
10.
Choose the word that has a negative connotation to complete the sentence.
She felt __________ to help the person carry their groceries to their car. 
a)
obliged
b)
pleased
c)
happy
11.
Choose the word that has a positive connotation to complete the sentence.
The winner of the beauty pageant was _______. 
a)
beautiful
b)
a knockout
c)
stunning
12.
Choose the word that has a positive connotation to complete the sentence.
The student was _________ when she was in math class.
a)
brilliant
b)
an egghead
c)
intelligient
13.

What type of connotation does the word sneaky have? (That bank robber is sneaky.)

a)

Positive

b)

Negative

c)

Neutral

d)

I don't know

14.

What type of connotation does the word quiet have? (My friend is quiet.)

a)

Positive

b)

Negative

c)

Neutral

d)

I don't know

15.

What type of connotation does the word weird have? (That person is weird.)

a)

Positive

b)

Negative

c)

Neutral

d)

I don't know

16.

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 ______________.

a)

thrifty

b)

stingy

c)

miserly

d)

selfish

17.

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


I admire the man who jumped on the subway tracks to rescue a stranger. He was certainly ________________.

a)

foolhearty

b)

courageous

c)

rash

d)

reckless

18.
"The air is like a butterfly"
a)
methaphor
b)
simile
c)
repetition
d)
onomatopoeia
19.
"Buzz - says the great buzzing bee."
a)
metaphor
b)
simile
c)
hyperbole
d)
onomatopoeia
20.
"The wind stood up and gave a shout"
a)
metaphor
b)
personification
c)
imagery
d)
onomatopoeia
21.
Danny's room is a pig-sty.
a)
metaphor
b)
simile
c)
hyperbole
d)
personification
22.
The crazy car is colorful.
a)
simile
b)
alliteration
c)
personification
d)
repetition
23.
A comparison of two seemingly unlike things using "like" or "as"
a)
alliteration
b)
simile
c)
metaphor
d)
personification
24.

Two words that have opposite or very different meanings

a)

Couplet

b)

Imagery

c)

Oxymorons

d)

Limerick

25.

Giving some non-human thing qualities of a human is...

a)

Metaphor

b)

Hyperbole

c)

Personification

d)

Alliteration

26.

What is onomatopoeia?

a)

Words that sound like what they mean

b)

an exaggerated statement

c)

a comparison using like, as, or than

d)

an expression not meant to be taken literally (ex. On cloud 9, raining cats and dogs)

27.

What is a metaphor?

a)

A comparison that does not use like, as, or than

b)

the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

c)

A comparison that does use like, as, or than

d)

words that sound like their meaning

28.

An exaggerated statement is a...

a)

Alliteration

b)

Onomatopeia

c)

Simile

d)

Hyperbole

29.

Alliteration is...

a)

an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally

b)

a comparison using like or as

c)

repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words

d)

Words that sound like their meaning

30.

What is a simile?

a)

Comparing two unlike things using as, like, or than

b)

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally

c)

Words that sound like their meaning

d)

A comparison between two things not using like or as

31.

My backpack weighs a ton!

a)

simile

b)

hyperbole

c)

personification

d)

metaphor

32.

The evening melted away like a snowflake.

a)

personification

b)

metaphor

c)

hyperbole

d)

simile

33.

Time is a thief.

a)

metaphor

b)

alliteration

c)

hyperbole

d)

personification

34.

The surf surged up as the sun swept the shore.

a)

simile

b)

alliteration

c)

personification

d)

hyperbole

35.

She clattered and clanged as she washed the dishes.

a)

alliteration

b)

hyperbole

c)

idiom

d)

onomatopoeia

36.

Time marches on.

a)

personification

b)

hyperbole

c)

alliteration

d)

onomatopoeia

37.

Homework is a breeze.

a)

alliteration

b)

metaphor

c)

simile

d)

personification

38.

Lisa's lizards were leaping on her lawnchair.

a)

hyperbole

b)

alliteration

c)

onomatopoeia

d)

personification

39.

He is as busy as a bee.

a)

simile

b)

hyperbole

c)

metaphor

d)

personification

40.

Which sentence below shows personification?

a)

The air was cold.

b)

The sun is bright yellow.

c)

The cat raced down the hall.

d)

The leaves danced in the wind.

41.
Time flies by! 
a)
idiom
b)
simile
c)
onomatopoeia
d)
metaphor
42.
I am as hungry as a bear! 
a)
hyperbole
b)
alliteration
c)
simile
d)
metaphor
43.
The ball jumped out of the receiver's hands. 
a)
simile
b)
metaphor
c)
hyperbole
d)
personification
44.
The wind whistled through the trees during the storm. 
a)
personification
b)
simile
c)
metaphor
d)
idiom
45.
The sad student sat silently in the room. 
a)
alliteration
b)
onomatopoeia
c)
idiom
d)
personification
46.
"The city was a jungle" is an example of what?
a)
alliteration
b)
simile
c)
metaphor
d)
onomatopoeia
47.
The dropped package skidded like an Olympic bobsled across the icy sidewalk.
What two things are being compared in this sentence’s simile?
a)
the package and the sidewalk
b)
the Olympics and the icy sidewalk
c)
the movement of the dropped package and a bobsled
d)
the way the package was dropped and the Olympics
48.
Sally is the sun in my life
a)
Sally is yellow.
b)
Sally is standing on the roof.
c)
Sally is important to me.
49.
I'm dying to see that movie.
a)
I can wait a little longer.
b)
I don't want to see the movie.
c)
I'm excited about seeing the movie.
50.
The stars were diamonds in the nighttime sky.
a)
The stars are expensive.
b)
The stars are not out tonight.
c)
The stars were bright and sparkling.
51.

Big baby, jumbo shrimp, and civil war are all examples of...

a)

Onomatopoeia

b)

Puns

c)

Idioms

d)

Oxymorons

52.

"Tracy was feeling down in the dumps after failing the test" is an example of...

a)

personification

b)

idiom

c)

hyperbole

d)

metaphor