Kentucky Reading and Writing L.9-10.5.a

ELAGrades 9–10Language

The Standard

L.9-10.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

Interpret figures of speech in context, including but not limited to euphemism and oxymoron, and analyze their rhetorical function in the text.

Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing (2025) · Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use context to work out what a figure of speech means. They explain why a writer chose that phrase instead of plainer words.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given 'let go' in a layoff notice, a student explains that it means fired and softens the news. Given 'deafening silence' after a question, they explain how the contradiction makes the lack of response feel tense.
Common Misconceptions: Students may read 'let go' as a physical release or think 'deafening silence' describes a loud noise. Others can name a euphemism or oxymoron but cannot explain its effect on the reader.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: 'The manager said three workers were let go.' What does 'let go' mean here, and why might the manager choose it instead of 'fired'?

Lesson moves

Give pairs sentence strips reading 'fired' and 'let go'; have them paste each into a mock staff email and compare the tone.
Read 'The room fell into a deafening silence' after a public accusation; ask what changes if the writer uses 'quiet'.
Play a matching game with six short passages and their plain meanings, then have students write one sentence explaining each phrase's effect.
Show a car ad saying 'pre-owned cars'; students compare it with 'used cars' and explain which sounds more appealing and why.

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