Connotation and denotation

Worksheet: Connotation and denotation

Name:Class:

Answer the questions.

1. What do we call the literal, dictionary meaning of a word?
   a) Connotationb) Denotationc) Implicationd) Suggestion
2. What is the denotation of the word 'home'?
   a) A place to buy foodb) A place where someone livesc) A very large buildingd) A warm and loving feeling
3. The denotation of a word is its dictionary meaning.
   a) Trueb) False
4. Which word has the same basic meaning as 'house' but a cosier feeling?
   a) Buildingb) Homec) Propertyd) Structure
5. What do we call the feelings or ideas a word suggests beyond its literal meaning?
   a) Connotationb) Definitionc) Denotationd) Synonym
6. Which word has a negative connotation?
   a) Confidentb) Determinedc) Loyald) Stubborn
7. The word 'cheap' always has the same feeling as 'inexpensive'.
   a) Trueb) False
8. Which word is the most positive way to describe a person who spends little money?
   a) Miserlyb) Stingyc) Thriftyd) Tight-fisted
9. Both words mean thin. Which one sounds more negative?
   a) Both are very positiveb) Neither, they feel identicalc) Skinnyd) Slim
10. Give a more positive word than 'nosy' for someone who wants to know things.
11. A writer calls a dog 'scruffy' instead of 'shaggy'. What effect does this have?
    a) It has no effect on the readerb) It makes the dog seem elegantc) It makes the dog seem untidyd) It tells us the dog's age
12. Which sentence gives the most negative impression of a crowd?
    a) The crowd walked through the gate.b) The group strolled through the gate.c) The mob pushed through the gate.d) The visitors came through the gate.
13. Choosing 'stroll' instead of 'stomp' changes the mood of a sentence.
    a) Trueb) False
14. Name a pleasant word for a smell, the opposite in feeling to 'stink'.
15. Why might an advertiser call a small flat 'cosy' rather than 'cramped'?
    a) To give its exact sizeb) To make it sound appealingc) To make it sound unpleasantd) To show it is very new
16. Give a more positive word than 'bossy' for someone who leads a group well.