--- title: "8.L.V.3: Denotation and Connotation (Georgia English Language Arts standard)" code: 8.L.V.3 cite_as: Georgia Standards of Excellence, English Language Arts, 8.L.V.3 subject: ela grades: - grade-8 language: en canonical_url: https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/8.L.V.3 md_url: https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/8.L.V.3.md alternate_language_url: https://georgiahomeroom.org/es/standards/code/8.L.V.3.md source_url: https://case.georgiastandards.org/ims/case/v1p0/CFDocuments/391c3abe-c1ec-4a4a-a942-c9e152b35102 source_last_changed: 2025-11-14 data_built: 2026-09-18 publisher: Georgia Homeroom, a free public-interest project of Georgia Civic Data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Georgia Department of Education or any school district. up: https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/ela/grade-8.md index: https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/index.md --- # 8.L.V.3: Denotation and Connotation Analyze the denotative and connotative meanings of words and phrases and strategically apply those understandings when interpreting and constructing texts. - Subject: English Language Arts - Appears in: Grade 8, https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/ela/grade-8.md ## Expectations - **8.L.V.3.a**: This progression transitions to 6-8.L.V.3.b. - **8.L.V.3.b**: Analyze relationships between words, phrases, and/or clauses (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, analogies, contextual clues) to determine, distinguish, or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple-meaning words and phrases. (I) - **8.L.V.3.c**: Distinguish between the connotations of words that share a similar denotation (e.g., confident, assertive, egotistic, pompous, smug). (I) - **8.L.V.3.d**: Use available print and/or digital resources, including reference materials and digital tools (e.g., online search, embedded word processing features), to determine, clarify, or verify the meaning of unknown or multiple-meaning words and phrases. (I) - **8.L.V.3.e**: Determine or clarify the nuanced meanings of closely related words or phrases using available print and/or digital resources to make strategic decisions when speaking and writing. (C) ## Georgia Milestones coverage - English Language Arts Grade 8 (EOG). Language — Constructing Texts. Vocabulary Students engage in a wide range of written and spoken activities during which they expand and deepen their vocabularies, build word analysis skillsets (morphology), and determine or clarify the meanings of words and phrases. (about 13% of the test; 8 points; shared with other standards, so count these points once and never add them up per standard) ## What mastery looks like Georgia's Achievement Level Descriptors. The levels are cumulative: each includes the ones before it. Proficient is on grade level. - **Developing**: Describe relationships between words, phrases, and/or clauses (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, analogies, contextual clues) within a sentence to determine the meaning of unknown or multiple-meaning words and phrases. Use available print and/or digital resources, including reference materials and digital tools, to determine, clarify, or verify the meaning of unknown words. - **Proficient**: Analyze relationships between words, phrases, and/or clauses (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, analogies, contextual clues) beyond a sentence to determine, distinguish, or clarify the meaning of unknown and/or multiple-meaning words and phrases. Distinguish between the connotations of words that share a similar denotation (e.g., confident, assertive, egotistic, pompous, smug). Use available print and/or digital resources, including reference materials and digital tools (e.g., online search, embedded word processing features), to determine, clarify, or verify the meaning of multiple-meaning words and phrases. Determine or clarify the nuanced meanings of closely related words or phrases using available print and/or digital resources to make strategic decisions when writing. - **Distinguished**: Analyze relationships between words, phrases, and/or clauses (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, analogies, contextual clues) across a text to determine, distinguish, and/or clarify the meaning of unknown and/or multiple-meaning words and phrases. ## The same standard across grades - Kindergarten, K.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/K.L.V.3.md - Grade 1, 1.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/1.L.V.3.md - Grade 2, 2.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/2.L.V.3.md - Grade 3, 3.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/3.L.V.3.md - Grade 4, 4.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/4.L.V.3.md - Grade 5, 5.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Make connections between words and phrases and use reference materials to determine or clarify word meanings in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/5.L.V.3.md - Grade 6, 6.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze the denotative and connotative meanings of words and phrases and strategically apply those understandings when interpreting and constructing texts. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/6.L.V.3.md - Grade 7, 7.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze the denotative and connotative meanings of words and phrases and strategically apply those understandings when interpreting and constructing texts. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/7.L.V.3.md - **Grade 8, 8.L.V.3 (this standard)**: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze the denotative and connotative meanings of words and phrases and strategically apply those understandings when interpreting and constructing texts. - Grade 9, 9.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze and craft nuanced words and phrases in a variety of texts and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/9.L.V.3.md - Grade 10, 10.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze and craft nuanced words and phrases in a variety of texts and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/10.L.V.3.md - Grade 11, 11.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze and craft nuanced words and phrases in a variety of texts and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/11.L.V.3.md - Grade 12, 12.L.V.3: **Meaning & Purpose** Analyze and craft nuanced words and phrases in a variety of texts and for a variety of purposes. https://georgiahomeroom.org/standards/code/12.L.V.3.md Source: Georgia Standards of Excellence, published by the Georgia Department of Education at case.georgiastandards.org.