WEEK 1 Week of September 5

1. WEEK 1Week of September 5

2. Words have Denotation and a Connotation meanings. Denotation: Dictionary meaning of the word; the literal meaning of the word. Connotation: Your connection to the word – the emotions in which the word evokes.

3. For example … The words “woman” and “chick” have the denotation “adult female” in North America. HOWEVER, “chick” has a negative connotation.

4. Consider the following connotations: Positive:There are over 2,000 homeless in the city. Neutral:There are over 2,000 people with no fixed address in the city. Negative: There are over 2,000 vagrants in the city.

5. The word “vagrant” means a “public nuisance”; “homeless” evokes pity and charity. Words like “Negro” and “crippled” have been replaced with neutral connotations: “African-American” and “handicapped” …

6. SIMPLE SENTENCE A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb. It can contain modifiers, too (i.e. adjective, adverbs, prepositional phrases, etc.). Example: 1. We won. 2. We won the game against Exeter.

7. FAUX PAS (foh PAH). Noun. DENOTATION: a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an indiscretion. CONNOTATION: an embarrassing mistake The sign in the window stated “Hams for Chanukah”, a religious faux pas to Jewish people.

8. ECLECTIC (eek LECK tik). Adjective. DENOTATION: made up of elements from different sources CONNOTATION: variety; diversified; broad Simon’s closet was an eclectic array of clothing, including outfits from the 1950s to the present.

9. UBIQUITOUS (yoo BIHK wih tis). adjective. Denotation: Existing or being everywhere, or in all places, at the same time; omnipresent Connotation: being everywhere at once  Online gambling, shopping and videoconferencing may all be ubiquitous in the future.

10. AUSPICIOUS (ô SPISH əs) adjective Denotation:promising success; propitious; opportune; Connotation: favorable; successful The auspicious fundraiser allowed the charity to donate hundreds of toys to the orphanage.

11. WEEK 2Week of September 12

12. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPOUND SENTENCE: two or more COMPLETE sentences joined together by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so) Mnemonic: FANBOYS ForAndNorButOrYetSo

13. OFFICIOUS(uh FISH us). Adjective. Denotation: eager in offering unwanted services or advice Connotation: a pest; annoying TheOFFICIOUSwaitress kept asking us for coffee, but we kept refusing her.

14. GREGARIOUS (gruh GAIR ee us). Adjective. Denotation: Seeking and enjoying the company of others; Connotation: sociable Greg’s GREGARIOUS personality allowed him to enjoy a lucrative career in sales, for people were drawn to him.

15. COGNIZANT (KOG ni zent). adjective. Denotation: fully informed; conscious Connotation: knows what’s happening While strumming his guitar, Michael was cognizant of the three girls staring at him, yet he acted disinterested.

16. VORACIOUS(vo RAY shush). Adjective. DENOTATION: An insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; eager to consume great amounts of food CONNOTATION: Can’t get enough of something Big Sue had a VORACIOUS appetite during church camp; she wasn’t allowed to eat at the salad bar after the ninth time.

17. WEEK 3Week of September 19

18. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPOUND SENTENCE: two or more COMPLETE sentences joined together by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so) Mnemonic: FANBOYS ForAndNorButOrYetSo

19. WRITHE (ryth).Verb. DENOTATION: To twist or bend; to suffer pain or embarrassment CONNOTATION: cringe; suffer; agonize “Bulls WRITHE when cowboys RIDE” TinaWRITHED, for Mr. Flenkins embarrassed her for the third time.

20. CAVALIER (kav ah LEER). Adjective. Denotation: Casual; carefree and nonchalant; Connotation: cocky; arrogant Noun A gallant gentleman Mike had a cavalier attitude toward marriage, so his wife left him after six months of marriage.

21. BILK (BILK). Verb. Denotation: to defraud; swindle Connotation: cheat Sharon, the head French fry woman, bilked McDonalds out of $500.00, so the company sued her quickly.

22. CASTIGATE (KASS ti gayt). verb. Denotation: to punish; chastise Connotation: criticize severely Andy’s teacher castigated him continuously in front of the class for failing the test; his classmates laughed at him.

23. WEEK 4Week of September 26

24. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPOUND SENTENCE: two or more COMPLETE sentences joined together by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so) Mnemonic: FANBOYS ForAndNorButOrYetSo

25. EGREGIOUS(I GREE jiss). Adjective. DENOTATION: conspicuously bad CONNOTATION: extremely bad; offensive The teacher noticed Bubba’s EGREGIOUS error, but she decided not to tell his momma.

26. AMBIVALENCE (am BIV ah lents).Noun. Indecision; experiencing contradictory emotions Mike’s AMBIVALENCE about which woman to choose made him disregard the whole idea of dating, but in two weeks, he found the love of his life.

27. ACUMEN (AK yə mən) (NOUN) Denotation: Quickness and keenness of judgment or insight Connotation: wisdom; a “good eye” for detail With all respect for your natural acumen, I do not think you’re a match for the detective, for you don’t have life experience.

28. SURREPTITIOUS(sur ep TISH us) Adjective. DENOTATION: Done or acting in a secret, sly manner … clandestine, furtive. CONNOTATION: sneaky Sean tried to be SURREPTITIOUS in the store, yet Miss Smith noticed him taking a five-finger discount.

29. WEEK 5Week of October 3

30. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPOUND SENTENCE: two or more COMPLETE sentences joined together by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so) Mnemonic: FANBOYS ForAndNorButOrYetSo

31. ONEROUS(AHN ur us). Adjective. Denotation: Troublesome or oppressive; burdensome Connotation: difficult We had the ONEROUStask of pushing our car two miles to the nearest gas station, for Billy forgot to buy gas.

32. ATTRITION(ah TRISH un). Noun/Adjective. Denotation: A reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength … Connotation: “Over-FISHIN’ can lead to ATTRITION” Many teachers retired this year, so the ATTRITION rate is high.

33. LIST 2 CARRION (KAIR ee un).Noun. Denotation: Dead and rotting flesh Connotation: corpse Days after the battle, the battlefield was littered by the CARRION of brave soldiers, but the town was too tired to clean it up. RAMSES II mummy Egypt’s greatest and most powerful pharaoh

34. DEPLOY (di PLOY).verb. To arrange strategically The U.S. Navy DEPLOYED many sailors at Pearl Harbor, yet the men were unprepared for the attack. “David DEPLOYED his TOYS to attack his sister.”

35. WEEK 6Week of October 10

36. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPLEX SENTENCE: One main clause and AT LEAST one dependent/subordinate clause. To create a dependent/subordinate clause, use this “formula”: Subordinating Conjunction + Main Clause

37. Subordinating Conjunctions after inasmuch as supposing (that) although in case (that) once than as in order that that as (far/soon) asinsofar as though as if in that until as though lest unless because no matter how before now that when whenever even if where wherever even though provided (that) whether how since while if so that Relative pronouns also serve as markers of subordinate clauses: That, what, which, who**, whoever, whom, whomever, whose** WHO takes the place of the subject in a subordinate clause

38. BELLIGERENT (be LIG er ent). Adjective. Denotation: hostile; inclined to fight Connotation: mean and hateful Contrary to popular belief, Derek doesn’t have a belligerent bone in his body, because he’s a lover, not a fighter.

39. BRANDISH (BRAN dish). Verb. Denotation: wave menacingly Connotation: swing back and forth The men brandished swords, as they fought for the hand of the damsel.

40. CAMARADERIE (kahm RAH da ree). noun. Denotation: trust; sociability among friends Connotation: friendship Timmy likes the camaraderie of his friends in the accordion club, although many of them make caustic remarks when someone plays a wrong note.

41. CATALYST (KAT uh list). noun. Denotation: something causing change without being changed Connotation: begins something After she watched an animal rights protest, Roxie decided to become a catalyst for change.

42. WEEK 7Week of October 17

43. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPLEX SENTENCE: One main clause and AT LEAST one dependent/subordinate clause. To create a dependent/subordinate clause, use this “formula”: Subordinating Conjunction + Main Clause

44. Subordinating Conjunctions after inasmuch as supposing (that) although in case (that) once than as in order that that as (far/soon) asinsofar as though as if in that until as though lest unless because no matter how before now that when whenever even if where wherever even though provided (that) whether how since while if so that Relative pronouns also serve as markers of subordinate clauses: That, what, which, who**, whoever, whom, whomever, whose** WHO takes the place of the subject in a subordinate clause

45. EVANESCENT(ev-uh-NES-uh nt). Adjective. DENOTATION: momentary; transient CONNOTATION: short-lived; fading away Tornadoes are capricious and Evanescent, while they destroy lives.

46. DISHEVELED(di SHEV uld). Adjective. DENOTATION: marked by disorder; untidy CONNOTATION: messy Jennifer neatened her hair between classes, because she didn’t like to look disheveled.

47. COERCE (koh URS). Verb. DENOTATION: to force someone by threatening or physically overpowering them CONNOTATION: harass; threaten The Phantom COERCED the owners of the Opera Populaire when he demanded that they use Christina as a soloist.

48. AUDACIOUS (adjective)aw DAY shis Denotation: bold, daring Connotation: fearless The warrior felt audacious, until he saw the enemy riding towards him.

49. WEEK 8Week of October 24

50. Grammar/Writing Connection COMPLEX SENTENCE: One main clause and AT LEAST one dependent/subordinate clause. To create a dependent/subordinate clause, use this “formula”: Subordinating Conjunction + Main Clause