The following sentence contains a pronoun error: Neither the Chinese Crested Dog nor the Mexican Xolo has much fur on their body. Rewrite the sentence on the back of this sheet, making sure to replace the incorrect pronoun with one that is correct. | NAME DATE IMPROVING SENTENCES Word Connotations Word connotations are the ideas and feelings that most people associate with certain words. These feelings go beyond the word s actual definition. For example the words slender and skinny have similar definitions. Each word however calls up different ideas and emotions. One is likely to make a reader think of good positive things. The other is a negative word. You can use word connotations to get your message across to your reader. A. Circle the word in each group that has the most positive connotation. 1. argue discuss quarrel 3. tall stately gangly 2. nag pester remind 4. conceited snobbish confident B. Circle the word in each group that has the most negative connotation. 1. bossy forceful commanding 2. smile grin smirk 3. shy bashful reserved 4. mellow easy-going lazy C. Look at the connotation ladder below. The center box contains a neutral word. The upper boxes contain synonyms with more positive connotations. The lower boxes contain synonyms with more negative connotations. Now create your own connotation ladder using words from the box. cheap economical stingy tight-fisted frugal thrifty extraordinary unique unusual strange 0 price-conscious 0 odd weird bizarre CHALLENGE The following sentences create negative pictures. On the back of this sheet rewrite the sentences to suggest pleasant ideas. Just change the boldface words to words with more positive connotations. 1. Lynn s mother badgered her about doing her homework. 2. Julia s little brother Alvin tagged along wherever she went. 28 Beginning Writing 2 Saddleback Publishing Inc. 2001 Three Watson Irvine CA 92618 Phone 888 735-2225 Fax 888 734-4010 NAME DATE IMPROVING SENTENCES Figures of Speech I Figures of speech are expressions that the writer doesn t mean to be taken literally. Look at this example The parking attendant waved his arms like a windmill. The writer doesn t mean that the attendant s arms really went all the way around like a .
