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Grade 11 Shades of Meaning & Connotation Worksheet with Answers

Grade 11 (US) · Year 12 (UK) · Class 11 (India) · English

Unit 3: VocabularyNuance & Academic WordsCCSS L.11-12.5b

Ordering words by strength and telling positive, negative and neutral connotations apart. This free high school worksheet has 12 questions and a full answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF — every answer is checked by code, not guessed.

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Shades of Meaning & Connotation

Grade 11 · English

Score___ / 12

Name

Class

Date

Learning goal: Nuance & Academic Words · CCSS L.11-12.5b

Directions: This worksheet has 2 parts. Read the instructions at the start of each part.

Example

Order from weakest to strongest: hot, warm, boiling

Answer: warm, hot, boiling

RememberShades of meaning

coolwarmhotscorchingWords can mean nearly the same but be stronger or weaker: look → stare → glare
Part A

Positive or Negative or Neutral connotation? Tick one box for each.

PositiveNegativeNeutral connotation
1thrifty
2'cheap' (describing a person)
3arrogant
4confident
5slender
Part B

Circle the best answer.

  1. 6

    Which word has a more negative connotation: 'stubborn' or 'determined'?

    StubbornDetermined
  2. 7

    Order from weakest to strongest: jog, sprint, walk

  3. 8

    Which word is stronger: 'warm' or 'hot'?

    WarmHot
  4. 9

    Which word is stronger: 'big' or 'enormous'?

    BigEnormous
  5. 10

    Order from weakest to strongest: whisper, shout, talk

  6. 11

    Which word is stronger: 'tired' or 'exhausted'?

    TiredExhausted
  7. 12

    Which word is stronger: 'happy' or 'thrilled'?

    HappyThrilled

★ Challenge corner for fast finishers

What has many teeth but can't bite?

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Teacher's comments

Free printable worksheets with answer keys · aethelsystems.com/worksheets/english/11/shades_meaning

Answer key (click to show)
  1. 1.positive
  2. 2.negative
  3. 3.negative
  4. 4.positive
  5. 5.positive
  6. 6.stubborn
  7. 7.walk, jog, sprint
  8. 8.hot
  9. 9.enormous
  10. 10.whisper, talk, shout
  11. 11.exhausted
  12. 12.thrilled
  13. ★a comb (challenge corner)

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