Millions Of Interactive & Printable Worksheets For Education

What is Diction: An author's choice of words. What is tone: . _____________ is the level of intensity of an author's diction: Nuance. Connotation is: The emotion or feeling associated with a word. Read the following passage and determine whether it evokes positive or negative connotative meaning.Deserts encompass almost one fifth of the Earth’s land surface. Vast stretches of empty sand stretch over a barren, secluded landscape. The endless sea of sand shifts constantly with the wind over the solitary scene. Scarce foliage inhabits the stark environment. The desolate land supports little life. Solitary snakes and lizards seek out enough food to exist. The extreme heat of the day withers the land, making it barren and dry. The night is cold and desolate: Negative. Read the following passage and determine whether it evokes positive or negative connotative meaning.Deserts make up a fifth of the Earth’s land surface. Light brown and bright gold sand shifts with the winds, forming graceful eddies and patterns across the landscape. Cacti wait ready to bloom at the first sign of rain. Seeds lie ready in the ground; roots wait to send up shoots with the possibility of rain. Snakes and lizards bask in the sun or find cover under rocks in the heat of the day. The sun warms the desert by day. The nights are cool and offer respite from the day’s heat: Positive. Which group of words help to create a positive connotation in the passage?Mr. Smith has been a valuable employee since the company started. During that time, he has expressed many strong opinions that have influenced the company. His methods of solving problems are sometimes unusual. In short, he is a real leader. 1. What is the overall connotation of this passage: valuable, strong, influenced, leader. Which group of words help to create a negative connotation in the passage?I was shocked to get a birthday gift from my Aunt because she is usually so cheap. When I tore the gaudy paper off the package, I saw a scarf made form flimsy material. It was covered with busy embroidery and flashy sequins. It certainly was a strange present: cheap, gaudy, flimsy, strange. Buster was a puny dog. He couldn’t even scare that cat that lived next door.What is the denotative meaning of the word “puny” in the sentence above: small. Helen was guarded about her private life. She would not give anyone her phone number and address.What does the word “guarded” suggest about Helen in the sentence above: She is protective over her life.. Benjamin was a lanky kid. He was the tallest kid in class, and he was not a big kid. His mom packed him a huge lunch in the hopes he would get some more muscle on his bony arms and legs.What is the dictionary meaning of the word “lanky” in the sentence above: tall and thin. Select the word with a positive connotation: . Select the word with a negative connotation: Stubborn

Helping your kids make the correct word choice in the proper context is necessary. Use this worksheet to kick-start this teaching process.

The baby ducklings _________ after their mother: waddled. I ______ my water after gym class because I was so thirsty: gulped. If we are going to win this race, you need to _____ to the finish line as fast as you can: sprint. I tried not to laugh, but a tiny _____ escaped from my mouth: giggle. Your science fair project is ________! It is the best I have ever seen!: outstanding. The sudden _______ of rain completely soaked my clothes: downpour. Jay thinks he can _____ from one side of the creek to the other without landing in the water: leap. Bennett was ______ and jumped for joy when he hit his first home run: thrilled. My jacket is ____, but I can still wear it until I get a new one: small. Wow! You look ______ in that dress!: stunning. The pizza is ____, so it will need to cool for a minute before you eat it: hot. I wasn't very hungry, so I ________ my dinner: nibbled. I was curious, so I ______ into the box to see what was inside: peeked. The tea was very hot, so I carefully _____ it: sipped. Nick was excited about going to a new school, but he still felt a little _____ about making new friends: nervous

Shades of meaning denote the intensity of word meaning (from weakest to strongest). Determine the shades of meaning in vocabulary that are beneficial for accurate word usage. 

What is the meaning of connotation: Emotional meaning of a word. What is the meaning of denotation: The official meaning of a word. 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.. 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 emphasizes that he easily won.. Which word has the more positive connotation: . Which phrase has negative connotation: a box crammed with documents. Which phrase has a more negative connotation: scowl at someone. Mr. Long is a _______________ who does not like to socialise with anyone: recluse. These jade bracelets are family ________________ that have been handed down from one generation to the next: heirlooms. Grandma coughed hard to clear the thick _______________ in her throat: phlegm. Shu Qi created a _______________ of the original sculpture which looked like the real thing: replica. As if in a _______________, the man stepped off the pavement and stood in the path of the speeding Ferarri: trance. David stood by the river, seemingly _______________ by the white sailing boats: enthralled. It is a joy to work with Owen. He is always forthcoming and carries out tasks with much _______________: eagerness