English · KS3 Y8 · Analysing Texts

Word connotations

Word connotationsFree3:17Heddy Score 3 of 7, below the standard
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What you need to know

  • A word's denotation is its plain dictionary meaning.
  • Its connotation is the feeling or tone it carries, which can be positive or negative.
  • Pairs such as aroma/stench, crowd/mob and selective/picky mean much the same thing but leave the reader with very different impressions.
  • Choosing between near-synonyms lets a writer steer how the reader feels.

In this clip

Runs 3:17, from 0:03 to 3:20 of the full video.

Heddy Score3/7, Below the standard
See the seven stars
  • Trusted source · passed. The creator's own upload, live and playable here.
  • On the map · not judged yet. A teacher watched it: it mainly teaches this map topic.
  • Spec-true · not judged yet. Accurate, and right for the current UK specification.
  • Focused · passed. One idea, short enough to watch in one go.
  • Accessible · passed. Good captions, clear sound and pictures.
  • Safe for children · not judged yet. Right for 11 to 16 year olds, with no sales pitch.
  • Proven · not judged yet. Earned from our students: they learn from it, find it helpful and watch it to the end.
★ passed · ☆ pending · ✕ failed
Our students

Not enough students yet

Our own students' answers. These are what move ★7 Proven.
On YouTube

463K views · 4.95K likes · Kevin Spaans 32.7K subscribers

As reported by YouTube on 2026-11-01. Not part of the Heddy Score.
How the Heddy Score works

Why we picked it

A short, clear lesson that separates denotation from connotation and gives quick pairs for students to sort.

Kevin Spaans on YouTubechecked 2026-10-22

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