Word Meaning & Figurative Language
Which word has a more positive connotation: "childlike" or "childish"? Explain briefly.
What are context clues? Give one simple strategy for using them to determine an unknown word.
100 — Identify: Is "as brave as a lion" an example of simile, metaphor, personification, or hyperbole?
100 — What does it mean to "analyze the impact of specific word choices" in a text? Give a one-sentence explanation for 6th grade.
Metaphor; means the classroom was very busy and active like a beehive.
Metaphor; means the classroom was very busy and active like a beehive.
A character "stomped" into the room vs. "entered the room." How does the word "stomped" affect tone and what can it suggest about the character's mood?
Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined word: "Lena felt elated after finishing her project." What does "elated" mean?
4. 200 — Explain personification and give a 1-sentence example about a city that uses personification.
5. 200 — Replace the plain verb "said" with two stronger verbs and explain how each changes the meaning of the line.
Explain how the meaning of the word "cold" changes in these two sentences: (a) "The water was cold." (b) "Her words were cold." Name the literal vs. figurative meaning.
Provide two synonyms for "happy" that differ in connotation and explain the difference in tone each would create if used in a story.
Determine the meaning of the underlined word using context: "The ancient map was tattered and brittle, edges crumbling like dry leaves." What does "brittle" mean here and which clue helped you decide?
4. 300 — What is hyperbole? Write a hyperbole a 6th grader might use when complaining about homework.
5. 300 — Given the sentence: "The garden was full of flowers," suggest two more precise word choices to make the image stronger (one for color/appearance, one for atmosphere) and explain why.
Personification — gives the wind a human action to create a gentle, secretive mood
Read this brief excerpt (teacher reads aloud or projects a 2–3 sentence example). Ask: What single word or phrase most strongly creates the mood, and how does it do that? (Teacher provides excerpt appropriate to class.)
Sentence pair: "Marco was famished after practice. He devoured his dinner as though he'd not eaten for days." What does "devoured" mean here and what context clues support your answer?
4. 400 — Read this line: "Her smile was sunshine breaking through clouds." What figurative device is used and how does it affect the reader's understanding of the character?
5. 400 — Read this short sentence: "He glanced at the letter and paled." Choose a different verb than "glanced" that would change the emotional impact of the action, and explain how.
Give an example of a word with negative connotation that an author might use to influence reader opinion about a character; explain how that choice shapes the reader’s view and the overall tone.
3. 500 — Provide a short (2–3 sentence) context you create that lets a classmate infer the meaning of a challenging word (choose a grade-appropriate advanced word). Then name the word and explain the clues you embedded.
4. 500 — Compare simile and metaphor: write one example of each that describes the same object (for example, "time") and explain the subtle difference in meaning or effect between them.
5. 500 — Provide a three-sentence micro-paragraph (original) where one strong word choice sets the tone. Underline or name that word and explain in 1–2 sentences how that word shapes meaning and tone.