How to use Dictionary

We can find the word in a dictionary with the help of entry words and guide words.

The entry words are the main words explained in the dictionary. They are in bold type font to make them easy to look up. In a dictionary, words are arranged in alphabetical order of entry words from A-Z. We also use guide words to find words in the dictionary. Guide words are found at the top of each page in the dictionary.

1. The left page guide word is always the first entry word on the left page.

2. The right page guide word is always the last entry word on the right page.

Example:
How can we find the words apple, orange, ball and zebra in a dictionary?

To find these words in a dictionary we have to arrange words in alphabetical order.

1. Apple
In the dictionary, the word 'apple' is in the first few pages of the dictionary. To find out the definition or meaning of the word apple, we open the beginning pages of the dictionary.

2. Ball
To look up the word 'ball', we open to the pages after the letter 'A' and before the letter 'C'.

The word 'orange' starts with the letter 'O' and that is towards the middle of the English Alphabet. We open the dictionary towards the center or the middle pages. We do not start looking for the word 'orange' from the letter 'A' i.e. the beginning of the dictionary. We save our time and effort by quickly opening to the pages in the center and look for the word 'orange'. We look for the letter 'O' between the letters 'N' and 'P'.

4. Zebra
The word 'zebra' starts with the letter 'Z'. That is the last letter of the English Alphabet. The words with the letter 'Z' are on the last few pages of the dictionary. The letter 'Z' comes after the letter 'Y'.

Here are a few more examples of finding the words dig, duck, dance, doll in a dictionary.

The words, doll, duck, dance, dig share the same first letter 'D'. All the words come after the letter 'C' and before the letter 'E' but their second letters are 'A' (dance), 'I' (dig), 'O' (doll) and 'U' (duck).

Firstly, arrange these words in alphabetical order.

1. Dance
The letter 'A' (in Dance) comes before the other second letters 'I', 'O' and 'U'. Therefore, in the alphabetical sequence the first word is 'dance'.

2. Dig
The letter 'I' will come next and so the word 'dig' is second in sequence.

3. Doll
The letter 'O' (doll) comes after the letter 'I' (dig) but before 'U' (duck). The word 'doll' is third.

4. Duck
The word 'duck' is last in this sequence.

We can also find these words with the help of guide words.

1. To find the word 'dance', look up for the guide words that begin with letters 'da', as the letter 'n' will come only after 'da'. Once close, use the third letter of your word i.e. 'n' to run down the page to locate the word 'dance'.

2. Similarly, to find the word 'dig', look up for the guide words beginning with letters 'di', as the letter 'g' will come only after 'di'. Once close, use the third letter of your word i.e. 'g' to run down the page rolling down from did/die to the word 'dig'.

3. To find the word 'doll', look up for the guide words that begin with letters 'do', as the letter 'l' will come only after 'do'. Now directly go to the pages of the dictionary that show guide words beginning with 'do', and then start looking up for the word 'doll', in the next few pages.

4. Similarly, to find the word 'duck', look up for the guide words that begin with letters 'du', as the letter 'c' will come only after 'du'. Now directly go to the pages of the dictionary that show guide words beginning with 'du', and then start looking up for the word 'duck', in the next few pages.