Homework Assignment #4, Lisette Gngora

Semantic Feature Analysis for Vocabulary

Grades /Levels: Grades 9-12 intermediate-advanced (ESL II-III)
Objectives: Students will identify the part of speech of vocabulary words and be able to find
relationships to other parts of speech through the use, root and affixes of some words.
Activity: Start by giving the students a list of words and asking them what part of speech they
think each word belongs to. Once they have decided, give them the words in sentences and ask if
the part of speech they chose for the word was the same.
After discussing the different possibilities, give them the Semantic Feature analysis and,
after doing the first one or two together, ask them to work with a partner to discuss the
possibilities and complete the chart. Draw their attention to the prefixes and suffixes and ask how
the affixes might alter the original word they came from, i.e. mistrust, dressed, etc. Also, try to
get them to see that one form of the word could belong to different parts of speech.
After going over it, ask them to find other parts of speech related to the words from the
list, i.e., painted, to paint, the paint, the painting, the painter, etc. and state what part of speech it
belongs to and what it means, how they know, what gives them a clue, if the affixes have
anything to do with their meaning, etc.
Then they read the story the vocabulary words were taken from, in order to see them in
context. They find and highlight or underline the words in the story.
Finally, they have to use the words or one of the relatives in original sentences to show
that they know the function and meaning of the word.

Homework Assignment #4, Lisette Gngora

Key: Yes = +, No = Part of

Speech
Word
Dressed
Painted
Protect
Happiness
Lying
Alive
Mistrust
Richness

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Past
Participle

+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
-

+
+
+
-

+
+
-