Dictionary Skills(Part 1a)

SKH CHU OI PRIMARY SCHOOL

What is a dictionary?

A reference book that contains words which are arranged in alphabetical ordergives information about word meaning, pronunciation, etymology and uses

Purposes Find the meaning of words

Check spelling

Pronounce (say) words correctly

Types of dictionary

Bilingual dictionarygives words in two languagesprovides translations of the English word/ original

Monolingual dictionaryuses the same language for

the meaning/ explanation

An etymological dictionary

traces a word’s development over timegives examples to show how a word has

changed over timeOn-line etymological dictionary

http://www.myetymology.com/

A Rhyming Dictionary

words are grouped together by their end sounds

used more frequently in poetry than prose

Rhymes

e.g. run & sun

sand & and

A mini-dictionary

a little dictionarya pocket dictionarydesigned to be carried around easily

A thesaurusSynonyms or words with similar

meanings are grouped together

A glossary

A list of words or phrases and their meanings

often found at the back of a book as an appendix

What is alphabetical order?Words start with ‘A’ are grouped together; words start with ‘B’ are grouped together, and

so on.Look at the first letter eg. apple, catIf words start with the same letter, look at the

second letter eg. sing, slideIf the two letters are the same, look at the third

letter, and so on. eg. chair, change

Exercise 1

Organize these words in alphabetical order

a) fox giraffe animal monkey animal fox giraffe monkeyb) white candy shirt grape candy grape shirt whitec) pretend phone perhaps photo perhaps phone photo pretendd) see sew servant serve see servant serve sew

Which of the words below would fit between the two words underlined alphabetically?

Exercise 2

Example: few and pen mat egg gift farm pencilA. mine and mouse minor map mark minister moralB. sand and send same stamp seek see sawC. monkey and money mouse moon monk mop Monday

How do I Use A Dictionary?• Guide Words

Two guide words at the top of each page

1.the first word at the top of the page

2. the last word on the page

The words on the page fit between the two guide words.

Exercise 31. Turn to p.844 of your dictionary

2. What is the guide word on this page? otherwise3. Circle the words that you can find on this

page? other outback ocean our

Exercise 4

Find the following words. On which pages can you find them?

1. angry

2. sausage

3. excellent

p.45p.1069p.407

References

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/dictionary-types.html

Support Materials and Exercises for Dictionary Skills