CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5c
The Standard
Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending).
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 meaning but carry different feelings or judgments. They choose the word whose tone best fits a sentence, speaker, and audience.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can rank near-synonyms from positive to negative and explain the associations behind each choice. The student can revise a sentence by selecting a word that creates the intended tone.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat synonyms as interchangeable because dictionary definitions overlap. They may label a word as simply positive or negative without considering context, speaker intent, or audience.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Replace “thin” in “The model looked thin” with one approving word and one critical word. Explain how each changes the tone.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups word cards such as confident, proud, and arrogant, then have students sort them by tone and defend each placement.
Ask students to rewrite “She spoke to the class” using verbs that make her sound nervous, confident, and rude.
Play Connotation Corners: post positive, neutral, and negative signs, read a word, and have students move to justify its placement.
Compare two headlines about the same event and circle word choices that make the subject seem admirable or blameworthy.
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Printable L.7.5c Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5c, 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
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