The Dictionary and Thesaurus are a student's best friends. The more they are visited, the more familiar and user-friendly they become.
The Dictionary help you to develop an understanding of how to use a dictionary, to correctly locate meanings of words and correctly pronounce words using dictionary symbols. To use the guide words correctly to locate words and their meanings and how to identify the correct synonym, to correctly match synonyms to their thesaurus entries, and to complete a sentence.
The Dictionary
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The use of a dictionary and a thesaurus can help you build a better vocabulary. Dictionaries contain a lot of useful information. A dictionary contains a richdom of useful information, all the meanings of a word according to subjects, what part of speech the word is used as, how to pronounce a word, and the origin of the word.
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A thesaurus can add a wide selection to your vocabulary by giving you a different the word for a word with the same meaning.
Spelling
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If you have mastered the use of a dictionary, it will benefits you to help you learn the meanings of words, but will also help you with spelling and pronunciation.
Words
A dictionary contains the words of a language and is arranged in strict alphabetical order.
Two words, called headwords, usually appear in bold lettering at the top of each page.
- The word on the left indicates the first-word of that page.
- The word on the right is the last word of that page.
- This a helpful, time-saving device for finding a word.
The meaning of words
A dictionary provides you with the following information:
a. The meaning of the word
b. The pronunciation of the word
c. The different parts of speech derived from the word e.g. nouns and adjectives
d. The origin/source of the word (also referred to as etymology)
Where relevant, the following may also be given:
a. The abbreviation of the word
b. The plural of the word
c. Other parts of speech e.g. verbs or adverbs
d. Various meanings of the word if it is a homonym
e. A phrase conveying the meaning of the word
f. Idiomatic use of the word.
Most good dictionaries also contain valuable and informative guides and lists e.g. measurements, capitals and currency.
Source: EBH Joubert. English Grammar
http://www.nwlincs.org/mtlincs/pilotproject/reading/dictionarythesaurus.htm