Words in a Cline
A Word Cline is a string of words arranged in terms of strength or
intensity of the word/phrase that represents a certain idea.
 Identifying words in a cline can help improve vocabulary.
At first sight, two words may have similar meanings, but when words are
grouped together, it becomes easier to differentiate one from the other.
 A Word Cline makes differentiating words easier.
For example, the words promise, pledge, and vow all seem to have a
similar meaning.
One can arrange these three words by their intensity:
1. Promise
2. Pledge
3. Vow
Another example when it comes to arranging words in terms of intensity
would be:
1. advise
2. order
3. command
Take note that there are other ways you can arrange words in.
You can arrange words by formality as well.
Example:
next to, beside, alongside, adjacent to.
I. Arrange the following words in ascending order by
intensity. Write the weakest words first.
1. whisper, say, mumble, talk, speak
2. chilly, freezing, warm, frosty, nippy
3. small, huge, tiny, big, enormous
4. quick, sluggish, rapid, speedy, slow
5. creepy, scary, frightening, spooky, horrifying
6. fabulous, well done, good, amazing, excellent
7. happy, cheerful, glad, jolly, joyful
8. hermit, misanthrope, recluse, solitary, loner
9. friendly, outgoing, sociable, gregarious, amiable
10. deep, flat, fathomless, shallow, bottomless,
II. For each picture below, write 3 adjectives that
you can think of and arrange them in order from
weak to strong.
11-13.
14-16.
17-19.
20-22.
23-25.
Words in a Cline
A Word Cline is a string of words arranged in terms of strength or
intensity of the word/phrase that represents a certain idea.
 Identifying words in a cline can help improve vocabulary.
At first sight, two words may have similar meanings, but when words are
grouped together, it becomes easier to differentiate one from the other.
 A Word Cline makes differentiating words easier.
For example, the words promise, pledge, and vow all seem to have a
similar meaning.
One can arrange these three words by their intensity:
4. Promise
5. Pledge
6. Vow
Another example when it comes to arranging words in terms of intensity
would be:
4. advise
5. order
6. command
Take note that there are other ways you can arrange words in.
You can arrange words by formality as well.
Example:
next to, beside, alongside, adjacent to.
I. Arrange the following words in ascending order by
intensity. Write the weakest words first.
1. whisper, say, mumble, talk, speak
2. chilly, freezing, warm, frosty, nippy
3. small, huge, tiny, big, enormous
4. quick, sluggish, rapid, speedy, slow
5. creepy, scary, frightening, spooky, horrifying
6. fabulous, well done, good, amazing, excellent
7. happy, cheerful, glad, jolly, joyful
8. hermit, misanthrope, recluse, solitary, loner
9. friendly, outgoing, sociable, gregarious, amiable
10. deep, flat, fathomless, shallow, bottomless,
II. For each picture below, write 3 adjectives that
you can think of and arrange them in order from
weak to strong.
11-13.
14-16.
17-19.
20-22.
23-25.
KEY TO CORRECTION:
1. mumble, whisper, speak, talk, say
2. freezing, frosty, cold, chilly, nippy, warm
3. tiny, small, big, huge, enormous
4. slow, sluggish, quick, speedy, rapid
5. frightening, horrifying, scary, creepy, spooky
6. good, well done, excellent, amazing, fabulous
7. happy, glad, joyful, cheerful, jolly
8. hermit, recluse, loner, solitary, misanthrope
9. friendly, amiable, sociable, outgoing, gregarious,
9. flat, shallow, deep, bottomless, fathomless