Critical language awareness · Grade 7
In Grade 7 you get fluent with: denotation and connotation.
Language is never completely neutral: writers and speakers choose words that shape how we see people and events. Critical language awareness means noticing those choices, asking who benefits from them and recognizing bias, stereotypes and manipulation.
Key facts
- Denotation is a word's dictionary meaning; connotation is the feeling it carries. slim and skinny mean the same, but slim sounds positive and skinny negative.
Worked examples
Example 1
Find the loaded words: The greedy landlord threw the helpless family onto the street.
Answer: greedy, threw and helpless: they push the reader to blame the landlord
Example 2
Rewrite neutrally: The lazy council has finally bothered to fix the road.
Answer: The council has repaired the road.
Example 3
What does home suggest that house does not?
Answer: home suggests warmth, family and belonging; house only means the building.
Example 4
Which word makes the protesters sound positive: campaigners or troublemakers?
Answer: campaigners
Example 5
Why is this a stereotype? Girls aren't good at sports.
Answer: It judges all girls by one generalization and ignores the many girls who play well.