Assignment: Connotative & Denotative meaning

Task

0. Team up for better results.

1. Rewrite the following sentences by replacing the neutral word, using one with a positive and one with a negative connotation:

a) The house was on the hill.

Positive: Home

Negative: Pigpen ______________________________________________________

b) Billy went to a foreign country.

Positive: (the) overseas

Negative: Barbaric


c)  The class started at 7 AM, John was delayed.

Positive: postponed ______________________________________________________

Negative: late ______________________________________________________

d) The new girl in school was chubby.

Positive: Thick ______________________________________________________

Negative: Fat ______________________________________________________

e) His ways of thinking are unique.

Positive: exclusive ______________________________________________________

Negative: Weird ______________________________________________________

f) The girl's face showed a smile.

Positive: bright smile ______________________________________________________

Negative: smirk ______________________________________________________

g) Billy killed the old dog.

Positive: Slayed ______________________________________________________

Negative: transport (the old dog) to heaven ______________________________________________________

h) The meal was served at 6:30 PM sharp.

Positive: Feast ______________________________________________________

Negative: feces  ______________________________________________________

i) The handsome boy looked at the young girl.

Positive: Inspected ______________________________________________________

Negative: stared ______________________________________________________

j) The small woman was able to fit into the secret passage.

Positive: petite ______________________________________________________

Negative: skinny ______________________________________________________

k) I bought the inexpensive one.

Positive: affordable ______________________________________________________

Negative: cheap ______________________________________________________

l) They all laughed at me.

Positive: cheered ______________________________________________________

Negative: shamed ______________________________________________________

m) I can hear the sound of the neighbor's music.

Positive: resonance ______________________________________________________

Negative: fart noises ______________________________________________________

n) The Smith's house was clean.

Positive: refined ______________________________________________________

Negative: squeaky ______________________________________________________

o) The temperature is cold today.

Positive: cool ______________________________________________________

Negative: freezing ______________________________________________________

p) The boy held the rabbit firmly.

Positive: steadily ______________________________________________________

Negative: vigorously ______________________________________________________


2. Rewrite the following descriptive paragraphs by adding adjectives or changing out words for ones with richer connotations.  Make one version in which the tone is warm and joyous; and in the other paragraph, the tone is sinister and ghoulish.


A small house stands in a forested valley.  Two men hold axes.  Smoke is rising from the chimney of the house.  There is a smell coming from the house.  A few clouds hang in the sky and birds circle in the sky above the house.  A girl comes out of the small house.

a) joyous
A petite-sized house stands in a wondrous grove. Two gentleman holding a wood chopper. Mists are rising from the house's chimney. The house brings a nice light scent. Humongous clouds flew wondering in the sky, and pretty birds rounds the cozy house, as a young lady came out.

b) sinister
An old crampy slump sits on a woods in the middle of nowhere. Two men grasping axes. Pollution rose from its chimney. A strong stench coming from the slump. Smokes are hanging in the sky, as feathered creatures flew around the house, as a hag  comes out of the slump.

3. The thesis of the article linked below is that teen depression is caused by cellphone use.  The more phone related activities a teen is involved with, the more unhappy he or she is; the more real-world activities involving other people a teen participates in, the happier he or she is.

Use three pieces of evidence from the article to write an argument reversing the thesis: gadgets are associated with teenage happiness.  Use tone and diction to present cellphones as good things.


Using the term "Cellphones disrupts teens happiness" is too vague. Gadgets have different uses or applications. To say that one object with tons of functions makes one depressed is ignorant. I'd say that some aspects of gadgets would disrupt teenagers happiness, but most functions have good effects.

Looks okay. But I don't believe it could be considered very positive to say that some one "slayed" their pet!