Using Denotative and Connotative Meanings
Using Denotative and Connotative Meanings
The Lesson Activities will help you meet these educational goals:
21st Century Skills—You will apply use critical thinking and problem solving skills, collaborate with others, and communicate effectively.
Directions
Please save this document before you begin working on the assignment. Type your answers directly in the document. _________________________________________________________________________
Self-Checked Activities
Read the instructions for the following activities and type in your responses. Click the link to the Student Answer Sheet at the end of the lesson. Use the answers or sample responses to evaluate your own work.
1. Identifying Denotative and Connotative Meanings
a. Decide whether the bold word in each sentence has a denotative or a connotative meaning.
Type your response here:
Sentence
Denotative or Connotative?
She sauntered into the classroom.
Connotative
Lara is a good student.
Denotative
I usually walk to school each morning.
Denotative
Jake is a real loner.
Pat crammed for the test last night.
Connotative
b. In the table, write the words from the activity above that have denotative meanings. Replace each one with a word (or words) that would give the sentence a positive or a negative connotation instead. Then rewrite the sentence using the connotative word.
Type your response here:
Denotative Word
Connotative Word
Positive or Negative Connotation
Revised Sentence
Angry
Rage
Negative
George was in rage after he lost the race
Job
career
Positive
Anne has a career in banking
c. Read each sentence in this table. Identify whether the sentence has a negative, positive, or neutral connotation. Then rewrite the sentence so it has a different connotation.
Type your response here:
Sentence
Current Connotation
New Connotation
Rewritten Sentence
We ate at the banquet.
Neutral
negative
We devoured the food at the banquet.
I carry all my textbooks to class each day.
The Johnsons’ puppy playfully
The Lesson Activities will help you meet these educational goals:
21st Century Skills—You will apply use critical thinking and problem solving skills, collaborate with others, and communicate effectively.
Directions
Please save this document before you begin working on the assignment. Type your answers directly in the document. _________________________________________________________________________
Self-Checked Activities
Read the instructions for the following activities and type in your responses. Click the link to the Student Answer Sheet at the end of the lesson. Use the answers or sample responses to evaluate your own work.
1. Identifying Denotative and Connotative Meanings
a. Decide whether the bold word in each sentence has a denotative or a connotative meaning.
Type your response here:
Sentence
Denotative or Connotative?
She sauntered into the classroom.
Connotative
Lara is a good student.
Denotative
I usually walk to school each morning.
Denotative
Jake is a real loner.
Pat crammed for the test last night.
Connotative
b. In the table, write the words from the activity above that have denotative meanings. Replace each one with a word (or words) that would give the sentence a positive or a negative connotation instead. Then rewrite the sentence using the connotative word.
Type your response here:
Denotative Word
Connotative Word
Positive or Negative Connotation
Revised Sentence
Angry
Rage
Negative
George was in rage after he lost the race
Job
career
Positive
Anne has a career in banking
c. Read each sentence in this table. Identify whether the sentence has a negative, positive, or neutral connotation. Then rewrite the sentence so it has a different connotation.
Type your response here:
Sentence
Current Connotation
New Connotation
Rewritten Sentence
We ate at the banquet.
Neutral
negative
We devoured the food at the banquet.
I carry all my textbooks to class each day.
The Johnsons’ puppy playfully