Dictionary Skills

What is more exciting than a whole book full of different words?

Yes, dictionaries can be big and intimidating. Using a dictionary is a skill - a dictionary is full of
potential, if you know how to use it.

Skill-check:
1. Do you use an English-English dictionary, an Arabic-English dictionary, or both?

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2. When do you use an Arabic-English dictionary? When do you use an English-English
dictionary?

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Pro-tip: If you look an Arabic word up in an Arabic-English dictionary, choose the English word
you think has the closest meaning and write it down. Next, look up the English word youve
written down in the Arabic-English to double-check its translation or meaning.

Word Definition Exercises1

The following words are familiar to you. However, look up each word in your dictionary.
Notice how the different meanings are divided according to parts of speech. Sometimes, a
numbered meaning will have several lettered meanings. On the lines below, write the
total number of different meanings for each word. Include in your count all the numbered
and lettered meanings for each part of speech.
run

__________

fast

__________

set

__________

work __________
For some of the different meanings of the word run, think of the different words that your
own language uses to express the same meaning.

Word Definition Exercises2

Notice the different meanings of the word play in the following sentences. Using your
dictionary, find the specific meaning of play in each sentence. Write the meaning on the
line after each sentence.
1. The children like to play in the afternoon.
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2. Mary will play the piano in the concert.
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3. The play produced by the Drama Club was a success.
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4. It was a clever play that won the football game for us.
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5. The fire fighters played the hose on the fire.
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6. Seven days without water can make one weak is a funny play on words.
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Pro-tip: Common words that have many meanings are often used together with other words in
a set phrase. For example play on words, play the piano, play/produce. If a word is paired
with another word (or words) often, it can give you a clue to which meaning you should
reference! These are called collocations. When you write a new word in your vocabulary
book, you should also write down any collocations that you know with that word.

Skill-check:
1. What is a thesaurus?

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2. What is a synonym?

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Pro-tip: Dont use a new word in an essay unless you are sure of its meaning. Often, words
which are synonyms do not have identical meanings!

3. What is an antonym?

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4. Why do you think synonyms and antonyms are important for writing essays?

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Pro-tip: A quick way to look up a word on the internet is to go to www.google.com and in the
search bar, type define: yourwordhere

1 Yorkey, Richard C. Study Skills for Students of English, Second Edition. 1980. Winooski.
McGraw Hill.
2 Yorkey, Richard C. Study Skills for Students of English, Second Edition. 1980. Winooski.
McGraw Hill.