NY Next Generation ELA 3L5

3L5 is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• 3L5.a

  Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).

• 3L5.b

  Use words for identification and description, making connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).

• 3L5.c

  Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).

01

What Students Need to Do

Students distinguish literal from nonliteral meanings, connect words to accurate descriptions, and compare shades of certainty or states of mind. They use context to decide which relationship or nuance matters.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student explains a figurative phrase without reading it literally and selects descriptive words that fit real examples. The student orders certainty words and explains the evidence each one implies.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may treat every unusual phrase as literal or every familiar expression as nonliteral. They may use certainty words as synonyms and overlook differences between knowing, believing, suspecting, hearing, and wondering.

04

How to Assess It

Give students a short passage with one nonliteral phrase and three certainty words. Ask them to interpret the phrase and explain how the words differ.

1. 01

   Sort phrase, description, and certainty cards by relationship, then connect each to contextual evidence.

2. 02

   Ask, ‘Does take steps name walking here, and what does the context show the phrase really means?’

3. 03

   Play Certainty Line by arranging knew, believed, suspected, heard, and wondered, then defending the order.

4. 04

   Analyze descriptions in a weather report and explain which words signal observation, belief, or uncertainty.

• 4L5

  Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

• 8L5

  Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

• 2L5

  The 2nd Grade version of this standard.

• 1L5

  The 1st Grade version of this standard.