USING AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY
For foreign students of English, a good dictionary is
a valuable tool that will save you many times if it is use correctly and
efficiently. An English dictionary is a record of how English speakers define,
pronounce, spell and use the words of their language. A good dictionary will be
a small desk dictionary that contains more than 100.000 different words, as
well as other useful references and information. Your study needs will be met
satisfactorily by one of these dictionaries. It is also important to use only a
dictionary that has been recently published or revised.
What will you find in a dictionary?
1. Spelling: A
dictionary shows the accepted spelling of every word that is listed, as well as
the spelling of irregular verb forms and plurals.
2.
Pronunciation: Each dictionary has a special way of showing how
words are pronounced, including stress.
3. Syllable
division: This helps in spelling and pronouncing words and
indicates where the word should be divided at the end of a line.
4. Derivation: A
dictionary includes the history of each word, indicating its origin and
development through different languages before it became an English word.
5. Meaning:
Almost every word has more than a single meaning. Different meanings are given,
often with illustrative sentences; especially technical definitions are also
listed. You must be careful; the real meaning of a word depends upon how it is
used in a sentence.
6. Part of a
speech: These are determined by actual use in a sentence. A
dictionary indicates, however, whether the word is commonly used as a noun,
pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, conjunction or preposition.
7. Usage:
Your dictionary will tell you whether the word is chiefly British or American
or whether the word is form, colloquial, dialectal, archaic, poetic or slang.
8. Synonyms
and antonyms: Frequently words are similar or opposite meanings
are listed, with explanation of distinctions.
9. General
information: Information about persons and places are listed,
either within the alphabetical arrangement of the words or in special section
at the back. Any good dictionary will give this much information. Some
dictionaries also include rules for spelling, punctuation and capitalization,
and a list of common names in English. If you are confused by the system of
weights and measures in English, you can find a table of equivalents in your
dictionary. A good dictionary will become a friend of yours.
Taken from: Study Skills.
By: Richard C.
Yorky.
Answer the
questions according to the reading.
1. What is an English dictionary?
2. What kind of dictionary will be more helpful for
you?
3. How many words should a desk dictionary contain?
4. Should you use old dictionaries?
5. What kind of information will you find in a
dictionary?
6. Do you think a dictionary can become a good friend
of yours? Why?
C. Copy the
following words in alphabetical order.
Phrase
Holly
Scowl
Sneak
Coal
Lie
Zone
Weapon
|
Pumpkin
Whip
Young
Ugly
Hole
Pert
Sadness
Thumb
|
Youth
Search
Prepay
Coach
Abase
Unknown
Above
World
|
Waste
Level
Adjust
Life
Huddle
Prefix
Mountain
Telephone
|
1. ________________
9. _______________
17._____________ 25.____________
2.________________
10._______________
18._____________ 26.____________
3.________________
11._______________ 19.
____________ 27._____________
4.________________
12._______________
20._____________ 28._____________
5.________________
13._______________
21._____________ 29.____________
6.________________
14._______________ 22._____________
30.____________
7.________________
15._______________
23._____________ 31.____________
8.________________
16._______________
24._____________ 32.____________
