CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5b

ELA7th GradeVocabulary Acquisition and Use

The Standard

Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand each of the words.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify how words are connected through synonyms, antonyms, or analogies. They use that connection to work out meanings and explain differences between related words.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can infer an unfamiliar word’s meaning from a synonym, antonym, or analogy. They can name the relationship and explain how it supports their answer.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat synonyms as exact matches and ignore differences in tone or strength. They may match analogy words by topic instead of identifying the relationship between each pair.
How to Assess It: Use this exit ticket: “Timid is to bold as reluctant is to eager.” Name the relationship, then explain what reluctant means.

Lesson moves

Give pairs of word cards for students to sort under synonym, antonym, and analogy relationship labels, then require a reason for each placement.
Ask students to explain how slim, skinny, and slender are related, then write one sentence showing how their tones differ.
Play an analogy relay where teams complete word pairs, name each relationship, and earn a point only when their explanation is accurate.
Compare affordable and cheap in store advertisements, then discuss why a seller might choose one word over the other.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5b, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

If students are struggling here, check these first.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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