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Word Origins and Connotation — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 7 vocabulary worksheet.

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Year 7 · English · Vocabulary

Word Origins and Connotation — Answers

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Part A — Roots

Many English words are built from Greek and Latin roots. Use the example words to work out the meaning of each root.

1.tele (telephone, television, telescope) means
  1. Afar
  2. Bsound
  3. Clight
  4. Dwrite

Answer: far

Television = seeing from far away.

2.aqua (aquarium, aquatic, aqueduct) means
  1. Aair
  2. Bwater
  3. Cearth
  4. Dfire

Answer: water

An aquarium holds water.

3.bio (biology, biography, antibiotic) means
  1. Alife
  2. Bearth
  3. Cstar
  4. Dbody

Answer: life

Biology = the study of life.

4.graph (autograph, photograph, paragraph) means
  1. Asee
  2. Bwrite or draw
  3. Chear
  4. Dbuild

Answer: write or draw

An autograph is your own name written.

5.port (transport, portable, export) means
  1. Acarry
  2. Bbuild
  3. Cbreak
  4. Dsell

Answer: carry

Portable = able to be carried.

6.chron (chronology, chronic, synchronise) means
  1. Aplace
  2. Btime
  3. Cspeed
  4. Dage

Answer: time

Chronology = the order of events in time.

Part B — Connotation

Connotation is the feeling a word carries. Circle whether each word is positive, negative or neutral.

7.slender
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: positive

'Slender' suggests graceful thinness.

8.scrawny
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: negative

'Scrawny' suggests unhealthy thinness.

9.thin
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: neutral

'Thin' simply describes, without judging.

10.confident
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: positive

'Confident' is admiring.

11.arrogant
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: negative

'Arrogant' is critical: too confident.

12.thrifty
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: positive

'Thrifty' praises careful spending.

13.stingy
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: negative

'Stingy' criticises someone for not spending.

14.inexpensive
  1. Apositive
  2. Bnegative
  3. Cneutral

Answer: neutral

'Inexpensive' states a fact without strong feeling.

Part C — Why that word?

Answer each question in a sentence or two.

15.An advertiser is describing a product. Which word would they choose, cheap or affordable, and why?

Answer: Affordable. It has a positive connotation (good value), whereas 'cheap' can suggest poor quality.

16.Someone is selling an old car. Which word would they use, old or vintage, and why?

Answer: Vintage. It suggests the car is classic and desirable, while 'old' suggests worn out.

17.Rewrite with a neutral word: *The politician's scheme was announced today.*

Answer: The politician's plan was announced today. ('Scheme' suggests something sneaky; 'plan' is neutral.)

18.Rewrite with a more positive word: *The boy was stubborn about finishing the race.*

Answer: The boy was determined about finishing the race. ('Determined' praises the same quality that 'stubborn' criticises.)

Part D — Change the tone

The cosy house sat at the end of a quiet street. Its rustic walls were draped in lush vines, and the lively garden hummed with insects. Inside, the snug rooms smelt of well-loved old furniture.

19.Rewrite the passage above so that it describes the same house in a negative way, by changing only the connotation of the key words. Underline every word you changed.

Model answer: The cramped house sat at the end of a deserted street. Its weathered walls were covered in overgrown vines, and the cluttered garden crawled with insects. Inside, the dim rooms smelt of stale, musty old furniture.

Success criteria:

  • Same house and same facts described
  • At least six words swapped for negative-connotation alternatives
  • Changed words underlined
  • Writing remains grammatically correct
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Marking tips

  • Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
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