Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen
Assessment Preparation: Connotation
Denotation is the literal dictionary definition of a word. Many words can have the same
denotation, or definition, but words also have a connotation—an emotional feeling about the word.
For example: the words thin, skinny, trim, emaciated, slender, lanky and slim all have the same
dictionary definition: of limited size; of slight consistency. However, would you rather be referred to
as slender or slim, or emaciated and lanky? The words slender and slim have a positive
connotation; the words emaciated and lanky have a negative connotation. The words small or
little have neutral connotations, since they provoke neither a positive nor a negative feeling about
the words.
Directions: For each of the following vocabulary words from Chapters 18 and 19, first use a
dictionary to determine the word’s denotation. Then indicate whether the vocabulary word has a
positive, negative, or neutral connotation. For part C, using a thesaurus or other source, see if you
can come up with two ot three synonyms for the vocabulary word, with positive, neutral, and
negative connotations. (Please note: in order to simplify the activity, some vocabulary words have
been broken down to their base word.) Finally, write an original sentence using the vocabulary
word. An example has been done for you.
Ex. acquaint
a. Denotation: get to know or learn about someone or something________________
b. Connotation: neutral
c. Positive: familiarize
Neutral: know
Negative: confront
d. I decided to introduce myself in order to become better acquainted with the guests at the
party.
1. brash
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
2. browbeat
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
3. expunge
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
©2007 Secondary Solutions
Neutral : ________________
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Negative: _____________
To Kill a Mockingbird Literature Guide
Name _______________________________________ Period ________
d. ____
4. lavation
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
5. pilgrimage
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
6. predicament
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
7. proceedings
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
8. volition
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
9. wrathfully
a. Denotation: _____________________________________________________________
b. Connotation: ____________________________________________________________
c. Positive: _____________
Neutral : ________________
Negative: _____________
d. ____
©2007 Secondary Solutions
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To Kill a Mockingbird Literature Guide