The Best Word
for the Job
DENOTATION
is the dictionary definition of a word.
House ’haus\ n, pl houses
1: a building that serves
as a living quarters for one
or a few families.
DENOTATION
• Many words have more than one denotative
meaning.
• In order to understand what the reader must
know multiple definitions of words
Example: He is a hard teacher.
The word “hard” can be defined as
*not easily penetrated
*severe or unfeeling
*strenuous or difficult
*firm or definite
*powerful
*having mineral salts that interfere
with lathering
The best definition for the word “hard” in this context is “strenuous
or difficult.”
In Your Group…
Complete #1 on
your copy of
“The Best Word for the
Job”
handout.
CONNOTATION
refers to the feelings and associations
created by a word.
Words can have positive, negative, or
neutral connotations.
• Example:
Positive – slender
Neutral – thin
Negative – skinny
In Your Group…
Complete #2 on
your copy of
“The Best Word for the
Job”
handout.
In Your Group…
Look at #3 on
your copy of
“The Best Word for the
Job”
handout.
CONNOTATION
Which word has a better feeling?
House
Home
In Your Group…
Complete the chart for #3 by categorizing
the remaining words on the list.
Negative
Neutral
Positive
home
hut
shack
mansion
cabin
chalet
abode
dwelling
shanty
residence
In Your Group…
4. Make a list of words that have the same
denotative meaning as the word “happy.”
5. Copy the graph below in the section for
#5and place the words in your list on the
chart from the least to the most happy.
weak
connotation
strong
connotation
An IDIOM
is a word or phrase peculiar to a
particular language and different from
the denotative meaning of the words.
Example:
“Burning the midnight oil” means staying up late at night
“To carry out” may mean to make sure something is done
i.e. The spy “carried out” his mission.
In Your Group…
Complete #6 on
your copy of
“The Best Word for the
Job”
handout.