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Conno Deno Definitions Study Guide KEY THB

This document provides a study guide on the difference between the denotation and connotation of words. It defines denotation as a word's literal definition and connotation as the associations people have with a word. Connotations can depend on a person's experiences. It then lists examples of words that commonly have either positive or negative connotations and asks the student to match each word with its appropriate connotation.

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Leian Tejada Martin
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256 views2 pages

Conno Deno Definitions Study Guide KEY THB

This document provides a study guide on the difference between the denotation and connotation of words. It defines denotation as a word's literal definition and connotation as the associations people have with a word. Connotations can depend on a person's experiences. It then lists examples of words that commonly have either positive or negative connotations and asks the student to match each word with its appropriate connotation.

Uploaded by

Leian Tejada Martin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: ______________________ Date: ______ Block: ___

Denotation vs. Connotation Study Guide


Quiz Date: ________

A word’s denotation is its literal definition. For example:


Snake: a limbless reptile with a long, scaly body

A word’s connotation is all the association we have with it.


For example: “snake in the grass,” the biblical serpent,
the danger of poisonous snakes, our own fear of snakes,
or malevolent (evil, bad) person might be called “a real
snake”

Connotation can depend on the person who hears the word and
relates his or her own associations.
 A plumber might immediately think of a plumbing
tool called a snake.
 A biologist might think of the rare Indigo Snake he
felt lucky to see the past weekend.

Some words, though, have shades of meanings that are


commonly recognized.
 While “serpent” is literally a snake, the word
“serpent” is usually associated with evil.
 In today’s society, “politician” has somewhat
negative associations, while “statesman” sounds more
positive.
For these conditions, first think of a word with a positive connotation, and then
think of a word with a negative connotation.
Condition Positive Word Negative Word
1. not as tall as most vertically challenged short
2. careful with money frugal cheap
3. wanting to know curious nosey
For each pair of words, list the one that is positive in the
“positive Connotation” category and the one that is negative in
the “Negative Connotation” category.

1. gaze; stare
2. brainwash; persuade
3. delayed; tardy
4. lazily; leisurely
5. demand; request
6. gathering; mob
7. observe; spy
8. youthful; immature
9. irresponsible; carefree
10. unique; strange
11. inexpensive; cheap
12. competitive; cutthroat

Positive Connotation Denotation Negative Connotation

1. gaze look steadily stare


2. persuade influence on way or another brainwash
3. delayed not on time tardy
4. leisurely without haste lazily
5. request ask of someone demand
6. gathering a large group mob
7. observe to watch spy
8. youthful a young age immature
9. carefree not having a care irresponsible
10. unique not commonly found strange
11. inexpensive fairly priced cheap
12. competitive wanting to succeed cutthroat

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