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The Best Word for the Job
Foundation Lesson
Close Reading
Skill Focus
Levels of Thinking
Remember
Close Reading
Understand
Apply
Analyze
Evaluate
Grammar
Literary Elements
Create
Composition
Types (modes)
Diction
connotation
denotation
idiom
vocabulary
Descriptive
Multiple Mode
Expressive
Imaginative
Style/Voice
Selection of Vocabulary
Materials and Resources
• Students will need access to dictionaries.
Lesson Introduction
Review the following information and work through the lesson with students.
The denotative meaning of a word is the dictionary definition of a word. Many words
have more than one denotative meaning. In order to understand what the writer means,
the reader must know multiple definitions of words.
Example: He is a hard teacher. The word “hard” can be defined as
not easily penetrated
firm or definite
severe or unfeeling
powerful
strenuous or difficult
having mineral salts that interfere with lathering, etc.
The best definition for the word “hard” in this context is “strenuous or difficult.”
Words also have connotative meanings. The connotation of a word refers to the feelings and
associations created by the word. Words can have positive, negative, or neutral connotations.
Example: Positive: slender
Neutral: thin
Negative: skinny
Different words are often used to express differences in degree or type.
Example: Some other words that denotatively mean “house” are
home
hut
shack
mansion
cabin
chalet
abode
dwelling
shanty
domicile
residence
Some of these words identify or suggest the size, location, or cost of the house.
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.
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Close Reading
The Best Word for the Job
The denotative meaning of a word is the dictionary definition of a word. Many words have
more than one denotative meaning.
1. Give two denotative meanings of the word “sharp” and use each in a sentence.
Words also have connotative meanings. The connotation of a word refers to the feelings and
associations created by the word. Words can have positive, negative, or neutral connotations.
Example: Positive: slender
Neutral: thin
Negative: skinny
2. Fill in words below that have the same denotative meaning as the word “old” but that can
be identified as
Positive _______________________
Neutral
_______________________
Negative _______________________
3. Look at the following words, all of which have the denotative meaning “house”:
home
hut
shack
mansion
cabin
chalet
abode
dwelling
shanty
domicile
residence
Decide if each word has a positive, negative, or neutral connotation and fill in the chart
below. Be prepared to defend your answer.
Positive
Neutral
Negative
4. Make a list of words that have the same denotative meaning as the word “happy.”
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Close Reading
Foundation Lesson
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Close Reading
5. Place the words listed in number 4 in an order that illustrates degrees of happiness from the
least to the most happy.
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.
6. Match the idiom with the word that best defines it. Some words may be used more than once.
a. move
d. angry
b. sad
e. friendly
c. satisfy
f. evade
______ flew off the handle
______ down in the mouth
______ big-hearted
______ hop to it
______ give them the run-around
______ pass muster
Writing Activities
1. Choose a word from the dictionary that has at least four different meanings.
Write a paragraph in which you use the word four times, each time with a different meaning.
2. Consider the following group of words:
skinny
scrawny
slender
lithe
slim
emaciated
gaunt
willowy
After looking up the dictionary definition of each word, write two paragraphs, one using the
words with positive connotations to describe an attractive woman, and one using the words
with negative connotations to describe an unattractive one. Include details that will “flesh
out” your description.
3. Write a comical poem about a person from another country who encounters American idioms.
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