CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5c
The Standard
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare words that share a basic definition but carry different feelings, judgments, or associations. They choose words that match a sentence’s intended tone and explain their choices.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can explain how two near-synonyms create different feelings or judgments. They can select the best word for a context and support the choice with specific associations.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume synonyms are interchangeable because their dictionary meanings overlap. They may label a word positive or negative without considering the sentence or speaker’s purpose.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Compare “confident” and “arrogant.” Explain which word fits a respected team captain and why.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs word cards such as thin, slim, skinny, and slender, then have them sort the words by positive, neutral, or negative connotation.
Ask students to write two descriptions of the same character, one admiring and one critical, using different near-synonyms.
Play a synonym swap game where teams replace a highlighted word while keeping its definition but changing the sentence’s tone.
Compare word choices in two product advertisements, then discuss how terms such as inexpensive and cheap shape a buyer’s reaction.
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Printable L.6.5c Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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Where This Standard Sits
Before This Standard
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What This Unlocks
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5c
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.5b
Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5b
Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
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