Shades of Meaning
Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing similar actions and among adjectives differing in intensity; make real-life connections between words and their use
What a learner can do afterwards
- Compare similar verbs by acting them out (e.g. 'walk', 'march', 'strut', 'prance')
- Order adjectives by intensity (e.g. big, huge, gigantic)
- Connect vocabulary to personal experiences (e.g. note things at school that are 'colourful')
1 · Read
Some words mean almost the same thing. But they are not exactly the same. 'Walk' and 'strut' both mean moving on your feet. They feel different though.
Try acting these out. Walk is calm and plain. March is stiff, like a soldier. Strut is proud, like a show-off. Prance is light and bouncy.
When you pick a word, think about how strong it feels. 'Huge' is bigger than 'big'. 'Gigantic' is the biggest of all.
Similar words feel different, so pick the one that fits best.
More to read
How adjectives and adverbs engage audiences and convey precise meaning
Words can paint pictures. 'The dog ran' tells us a little. 'The tiny dog ran quickly' tells us a lot more. Adjectives describe things, like happy, soft, or huge. Adverbs describe actions, like slowly or carefully. When you choose strong words, your stories come alive. A 'big' sandwich and a 'gigantic' sandwich are not the same. Gigantic is much bigger. Pick the word that fits best, and your friends will see just what you see.
Choosing among words with similar meanings
Some words mean almost the same thing, but they feel different. 'Look' and 'stare' both mean to use your eyes. But a stare is a long, hard look. Every word has a meaning you find in a dictionary. Every word also has a feeling. 'Home' and 'house' mean the same place, but 'home' feels warm and safe. When you pick a word, think about its feeling. Do you want a happy feel, a plain feel, or a strong feel? The right word makes your idea clear.
Comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs
Some words can grow. Add 'er' to compare two things. A puppy is smaller than a grown dog. Add 'est' to compare three or more. The mouse is the smallest of all. Big becomes bigger, then the biggest. Fast becomes faster, then the fastest. You can use these growing words to put things in order. Which is taller? Which is the tallest? Try it with your toys. Line them up from smallest to biggest and say each one out loud.
2 · Watch
En anglaisTake it off screen
Where it sits
Learn first
Nothing; this is a starting point.
Optional connections
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.