Positive and negative connotations

Key Notes:

What is Connotation?

Connotation refers to the feelings or ideas that a word suggests, in addition to its literal or primary meaning (the denotation). Connotations can be positive, negative, or neutral.

Positive vs. Negative Connotation

Negative Connotation: Words with negative connotations evoke unpleasant or undesirable feelings.They make you feel bad, sad, or pessimistic.

Positive Connotation: Words with positive connotations evoke pleasant or desirable feelings.They make you feel good, happy, or optimistic.

Examples

Let’s look at some examples of words with similar denotations but different connotations:

• Confident (positive) vs. Arrogant (negative)
• Thrifty (positive) vs. Stingy (negative)
• Brave (positive) vs. Reckless (negative)
• Unique (positive) vs. Weird (negative)
• Relaxed (positive) vs. Lazy (negative)

Exercise 1: Positive or Negative?

For each word, write whether it has a positive (+) or negative (-) connotation:

1. Assertive ( )
2. Pushy ( )
3. Curious ( )
4. Nosy ( )
5. Determined ( )
6. Stubborn ( )

Exercise 2: Choose the Word

Choose the word with the more positive connotation to complete each sentence:

1. My friend is very ( courageous / foolhardy ) when facing challenges.
2. The chef is ( inventive / peculiar ) with their recipes.
3. She is ( slender / skinny ), which helps her in gymnastics.
4. He is a ( bold / brash ) leader.
5. The plan was ( economical / cheap ).

Summary

In these notes, we learned that connotation is the feeling associated with a word, beyond its dictionary definition. Words can have positive or negative connotations, influencing how we perceive them. Understanding connotation helps us choose words carefully to express ourselves effectively and understand the nuances of language.

Let’s practice!🖊️