A ‣ What dictionaries do I need?

A bilingual dictionary [using two languages] is easy for you to understand, and quick and easy to use. A dictionary in English will give you reading practice in English and many more examples of how words are used. If possible, use both. These are good dictionaries in English for your level, and most of them are available online: Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford Wordpower Dictionary, Longman Active Study Dictionary, Macmillan Essential Dictionary

B ‣ Information in dictionaries

If you look up a word [find a word in a dictionary] using the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary, the information is shown like this:

C ‣ Defining words

‘Defining words’ are words that dictionaries use when they define [explain] the words in the dictionary. Some of these are quite common.

emphasise [give something more attention and importance], e.g. My teacher has always emphasised the importance of writing down new words in a notebook.

relating to or connected to/with [having a relationship with someone or something], e.g. musical is connected with / related to music

amount [how much there is of something], e.g. £5 million is a large amount of money.

official [done by the government or someone in authority], e.g. A passport is an official document.

behave [do or say things in a particular way], e.g. People can behave strangely when they’re nervous.

D ‣ Using a dictionary

1. When you use a dictionary to check the meaning of a word, put a tick (✓) next to it. Each time you return to a page with a tick, see [find out] if you remember the word.
2. When you meet a new word or phrase in a text, first try to guess the meaning [try to think of the meaning when you don’t know it]. Then, use a dictionary to see if your guess was correct.
3. Don’t just read the dictionary definition. Example phrases and sentences show you how a word or phrase is used, and they help you to understand the meaning more clearly.
4. If you look up a word in a bilingual dictionary and get two or three different translations, check these words in an English dictionary to see which translation is the best one for the situation.
5. Remember that many words have more than one meaning. The first meaning in the dictionary is not always the one you want. You may need to read through the different meanings.