English 4

Identifying the Different Meanings

of Content Specific Words
(Denotation and Connotation)
First Quarter: Module 6

Charry A. Rivas
Writer

Ma. Myra E. Namit

Olivia G. Elloso
Ma. Carmen D. Solayao
Validators
 This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to
help you identify the different meanings of content specific words
(denotation and connotation). The scope of this module permits it to be used
in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the
diverse vocabulary level of students.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. recognize denotation and connotation;

2. compare and contrast denotation and connotation using the words
which are taken from the model sentences;
3. give different meanings of content specific words using denotation and
connotation; and
4. participate actively in guided and independent practices.

Directions: Read the following sentences carefully. Write D if the italicized

word suggests denotative meaning and C if it has connotative meaning. Write
your answer on the line provided.

1. The girl turned into ice when she saw a ghost. ____________
2. Try to plant good value in your heart. __________________
3. Don’t be a tiger to your siblings. They might get afraid of you. ________
4. I went to the forest that used to be snake-infested. __________
5. My father is a mahogany tree. He is strong and resilient. ___________

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Directions: Match the highlighted words in Column A to its meaning in
Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line provided.
A B
6. have the eye of an eagle ______ a. someone who is slow-moving
7. a turtle in solving math problems _____ b. with 20/20 or clear vision
8. a bookworm ______ c.an angry person
9. ants lined up for discounted cakes ____ d. someone who loves reading
10. a beast of burden ______ e. individuals who love sweet food

Identifying the Different Meanings of Content

Lesson 6 Specific Words
(Denotation and Connotation)

Recognizing the denotative and connotative meaning of words help

the readers to understand the text better.
Before learning and mastering this lesson, it is important for you to
recall the skill of identifying the multiple meaning of words using context
clues. This will help you understand their denotative and connotative
meanings.

In this module, you will identify the different meanings of

content specific words (denotation and connotation). You will learn how to
give meanings directly stated and not directly stated.
Directions: Unscramble the letters to give the correct word being described.
Be guided by its description.
1. OHMOYNSM -words with multiple meaning
2. ONNOCTIONTA -is an idea or quality that a word makes you
think about in addition to its meaning.
3. NOTADETATION -is the specific, exact and concrete meaning of
a word. This is the meaning you will find in a
dictionary

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Directions: Read the given sentences and draw the meaning of the underlined
word based on how it was used in the sentence.
Sentence A:
Sam’s chicken won the Grand Prize in the contest. It was the heaviest chicken
in the Fair.
*What does the word chicken mean in the sentence?
Answer:
________________________________________________________
Sentence B
“What’s the matter? Are you chicken?” Sam’s friends asked him when he
didn’t not join the pole-climbing contest. They didn’t know that he is afraid of
heights.
*What does the word chicken mean in this sentence?
Answer:
__________________________________________________________________
 What have you noticed with the meaning of the word chicken in both
sentences? How do their meanings presented to the readers?

Identifying the Different Meanings of Content Specific Words

(Denotation and Connotation)

 Denotation – is the specific, exact and concrete meaning of a word.

This is the strict meaning you will find in a dictionary.

 Connotation – is an idea or quality that a word makes you think

about in addition to its meaning. It refers to the emotional and
imaginative association surrounding a word. Sometimes it has social
cultural implications. It can be positive or negative.

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Consider these book covers.

Book Cover 1 Book Cover 2

In book cover 1, word chicken means BIRD and it is the literal meaning
of the word that you can find in the dictionary. It is called DENOTATION.
Book cover 2 gives the meaning of the word chicken as AFRAID or
COWARD. It is the emotion associated to the word chicken and this is called
CONNOTATION.
Knowing the connotative meaning of a word can lead you to be more
tactful. It also leads you to use a more appropriate word to narrate what is
happening.
Examples:
That boy is fat.
That boy is healthy.
Which description is preferable?
Think about the connotative meaning of the words in each set:
Set 1 - pretty, cute, lovely, beautiful
Set 2 - small, minute
Set 3 - shower, rain
The words in the set almost have the same meaning. However, each one
is used in different situations. For example, to describe a flower, would you
say a cute flower or a lovely flower? When do you think classes might be
suspended, when there is a shower or when there is a deluge?

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Activity 1
Directions: Give the denotative and connotative meaning associated to the
following animals.
Animals Denotative meaning Connotative
meaning
hen
owl
dove
shark
snake

Activity 2
Directions: Choose the appropriate word that will make the sentence correct.
home, house 1. A __________is where a family lives happily and
harmoniously.
hungry, starving 2. Rene spent the whole day playing basketball with
his friends. When he arrived he was ___________to
death.
old, antique 3. Her ___________collection of bottles must be
worth a fortune.
small, minute 4. It has been found out that particles that are
so_________, we can’t see by our bare eyes.
thrifty, miser 5. Rex spends wisely and saves his allowance.
However, if there is someone in need, Rex helps that
person. He is a _________person.

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Activity 3
Directions: Define each word using a dictionary. Read the word in context.
Then, decide if the word has a positive or negative connotations. The first
item is done as your example.
Word Denotation Word in Context Connotation
(dictionary
meaning)

cheap Low in price The guy who shouted to his Negative

wife was so cheap.
1.Vocal The dog is vocal all night.
2. Hideous My sister wears a hideous
outfit to school
3.Skinny Myra is skinny for her
height and age.
4.Pleasing The classroom was
decorated in a pleasing
way.
5.Audacious My brother is audacious
because he will explore
anything.

Directions: Express what you have learned in this lesson by completing the
sentences below.

I have learned that denotation is the ___________meaning of the word that

can be found in the ___________. While connotation is the _____________ and
_____________associated with the words or the implied meaning.

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Directions: Using the words below, write 5 pairs of sentences to
show its denotative and connotative meaning.

1. dark
Denotative: ________________________________________________
Connotative: _______________________________________________

2. tiger
Denotative: ________________________________________________
Connotative: _______________________________________________

3. twilight
Denotative: ________________________________________________
Connotative: _______________________________________________

4.apple
Denotative: ________________________________________________
Connotative: ______________________________________________

5.storm
Denotative: ______________________________________________________________
Connotative: _____________________________________________________________

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Directions: Write D if the italicized word has a denotative meaning and C if
it has a connotative meaning, write your answer on the line provided.
1. At dawn, the beauty of nature starts to unfold. _______
2. Her first piano performance served as the dawn of her career. ________
3. Her three daughters are her life’s roses. ________
4. Mrs. Santos grows lovely roses in her wide garden. _______
5. Miners carry a lamp before entering a dark cave. ______
6. Good friends are sunshine that makes me happy when I am sad. _______
For items 7-10, compare the sentence pairs as to denotative or connotative.
7-8. Mahogany in sentence A has ____________ meaning while sentence B
has ____________meaning
A. A mahogany tree stands behind our house.
B. Father is a mahogany tree, strong and resilient.
9-10. Fire in sentence A has_________ meaning while sentence B has
_________________ meaning.
A. Keep the fire of unity burning in our hearts!
B.A fire of unknown cause denuded the village forest.

1. Get a copy of a short text and pick out the words that has denotative
and connotative meaning.
2. Think of other words with positive and negative connotation. Give at
least five.

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References
1. English Learner’s Materials 4, First Edition 2015, pp.301-303
2. English – Grade 4 Teacher’s Guide First Edition 2015, pp285-287
3. English Learner’s Material, Joy in Learning English 5, pp.115-11

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