Synonyms, antonyms and precise word choice
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Notas de aula
What Are Synonyms?
- A synonym is a word that means the same or almost the same as another word.
- For example, begin, start, and commence are synonyms.
- Synonyms can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or even prepositions.
- Nouns: drink and beverage. Verbs: buy and purchase.
- Adjectives: big and large. Adverbs: quickly and speedily.
- Prepositions: on and upon.
Why Synonyms Are Not Always Interchangeable
- Two synonyms may not work in every sentence, even if they seem similar.
- For example, long and extended are synonyms in 'long time' and 'extended time', but you cannot say 'extended family' instead of 'long family'.
- Words can have different connotations – the feelings or ideas they suggest.
- Thin, slim, skinny, and scrawny all mean 'not fat', but they give different impressions: slim is positive, skinny is neutral, scrawny is negative.
- Some synonyms are more formal than others. For instance, feline is more formal than cat.
- Always check a word's meaning in context before using it as a synonym.
Antonyms
- An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
- Examples: hot ↔ cold, large ↔ small, thick ↔ thin.
- You can make antonyms by adding a prefix like un-, in-, im-, dis-, or non-.
- For example: happy → unhappy, possible → impossible, agree → disagree.
- Not every word has an antonym. For example, 'table' does not have a clear opposite.
Using a Thesaurus
- A thesaurus is a book or online tool that lists synonyms and antonyms.
- It helps you find new words, but you must be careful.
- If you pick a word without checking its meaning, you might use it wrongly.
- For example, 'pupil' can mean a student or the black part of your eye. A thesaurus might list 'student' as a synonym, but you cannot say 'the pupil of my eye' for 'the student of my eye'.
- Always look up the word in a dictionary to see if it fits your sentence.
Shades of Meaning
- Some synonyms have slightly different strengths or levels of intensity.
- For example, big, large, huge, and enormous all mean 'big', but 'enormous' is much bigger than 'big'.
- These small differences are called shades of meaning.
- Choosing the right shade makes your writing more precise and interesting.
- Think of a scale: warm, hot, boiling – each word is stronger than the last.
Denotation and Connotation
- Denotation is the literal, dictionary meaning of a word.
- Connotation is the feeling or idea that a word brings to mind.
- For example, 'cheap' and 'inexpensive' have the same denotation (costs little), but 'cheap' often has a negative connotation (poor quality), while 'inexpensive' sounds positive.
- Writers choose words with specific connotations to steer readers' feelings.
- Calling someone 'slim' vs 'skinny' changes how you feel about them.
Choosing Precise Words
- Precise means exact and accurate.
- Instead of saying 'nice', you could say 'kind', 'friendly', 'helpful', or 'generous' – each is more precise.
- Instead of 'said', you could use 'whispered', 'shouted', 'murmured', or 'exclaimed'.
- Vague words like 'good', 'bad', 'big', and 'small' can be replaced with more exact words.
- Precise words make your writing clearer and more vivid for the reader.
How Synonyms Are Created
- English has synonyms from different languages, like Old English, French, Latin, and Greek.
- For example, folk (Old English) and people (French) mean the same thing.
- Sometimes new words are made up to replace others, like foreword instead of preface.
- Different fields may use different synonyms for technical reasons.
- Using synonyms can avoid repeating the same word, but don't overdo it – it can sound unnatural.
Slides
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Questões de prática
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1.What is a synonym?
Easy- Aa word that means the same or nearly the same as another word
- Ba word that means the opposite of another word
- Ca word that sounds the same as another word
- Da word that is spelled the same as another word
2.What is an antonym?
Easy- Aa word that means the opposite of another word
- Ba word that means the same as another word
- Ca word that sounds the same as another word
- Da word that is spelled the same as another word
3.Which pair of words are synonyms?
Easy- Abig and large
- Bbig and small
- Cbig and tall
- Dbig and wide
4.Which pair of words are antonyms?
Easy- Ahot and cold
- Bhot and warm
- Chot and boiling
- Dhot and mild
5.True or false: The words 'begin' and 'start' are synonyms.
EasyTrue or false?
6.True or false: The words 'quickly' and 'slowly' are synonyms.
EasyTrue or false?
7.Which of these words are synonyms for 'happy'? (select all that apply)
Easy- Ajoyful
- Bsad
- Cglad
- Dangry
- Echeerful
8.Which of these words are antonyms for 'big'? (select all that apply)
Easy- Asmall
- Blarge
- Ctiny
- Dhuge
- Elittle
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