R epublic of the P hilippines

D epartment of E ducation
N a t i o n a l C a pi t a l Re g i o n
Sc h o o l s D i v i s i o n O f f i c e o f La s Pi ñ a s C i t y

NAME: ___________________________________________ School: ____________

GRADE & SECTION________________________________ Score: _____________

MODULE IN DEVELOPMENTAL READING

First Quarter
Week 3

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY

 Categorize words or expressions according to shades of meaning

OBJECTIVES
1. Identify word relationships
2. Categorize words or expressions according to shades of meaning
3. Enhances students' vocabulary, which can help them be more precise and imaginative in
their writing
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
One way for you to expand your vocabulary and understand more word meanings is to use
semantic gradients or shades of meaning. This method of vocabulary building uses related
words that lie on a continuum.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Task 1. Read these lists of words carefully. You need to put them in order according to their
meaning. Ask yourself ‘Which word has the strongest meaning? Which word has the weakest
meaning?’ Write the weakest words first.

1. grumpy, cross, furious ___________________________________

2. eat, gobble, nibble ___________________________________
3. sip, swig, swallow, gulp ___________________________________
4. wreck, destroy, damage ___________________________________
5. shining, dazzling, sparkling, glittering ___________________________________
Task 2. Study the following words, then fill in the following semantic gradients.

1. depressed elated
|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------
Word Bank: upset, indifferent, glad, happy

2. obese skinny
|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------
Word Bank: slender, thin, chubby, hefty

3. trudged sprinted
|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------
Word Bank: raced, walked, hurried, dawdled

4. microscopic gargantuan
|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------
Word Bank: big, small, tiny, huge

5. careless meticulous
|-----------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------
Word Bank: haphazard, careful, tidy, casual

Task 3. Complete each sequence below. Consider the shades of meaning when putting the
words in order.

1. Add the following words in the correct order to the sequence:

angry, annoyed, furious
bothered → _________ → _________ → _________ → enraged

2. Add the following words in the correct order to the sequence:

scared, terrified, worried
concerned → _________ → _________ → _________ → hysterical

3. Add the following words in the correct order to the sequence:

joyful, pleased, thrilled.
_________ → upbeat → happy → _________ → _________

Task 4. Select a word to fill in the blank in the first sentence (#1). Then place the Word Bank
words along the semantic gradient (#2). Be prepared to consider which word best fits with the
context that is provided in the second sentence (#3).

1. “Jimmy _________ home.”

2. trudged sprinted
|--------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Word Bank: raced, walked, hurried, dawdled

3. “Jimmy __________ home. He couldn’t wait to see the new puppy.

Task 5. You can better understand shades of meaning by using similar words in context. Read
the passage below. After you read, insert onto each line one of three words listed above the
passage. Be sure to consider the shades of meaning when deciding which word best fits the
context of that part of the story.

doubtful, suspicious, uncertain

When Beth first heard the rumor about the accident, she was __________ what
to think about it. The next two people who told her the rumor were people she did not
trust. So, then, she became a bit more__________. As more people spread the
ridiculous rumor, the more__________ she became that the story could be true.