TEN STEPS to BUILDING COLLEGE READING SKILLS FIFTH EDITION TEN STEPS to BUILDING COLLEGE READING SKILLS John Langan © 2011 Townsend Press

DICTIONARY SKILLS Dictionary Advice in a Nutshell • You should own both a paperback and a hardbound dictionary. • Your computer (if you have one) may have a built-in dictionary; also, you can easily visit an online dictionary. • Use spelling hints to help you look up in the dictionary a word you cannot spell. • A dictionary entry will tell you how a word is spelled and pronounced and give you various meanings of the word. It will also provide other helpful information about words. Page 35 in textbook 2

This Chapter in a Nutshell • You should own both a paperback and a hardbound dictionary. • Your computer (if you have one) may have a built-in dictionary; also, you can easily visit an online dictionary. • Use spelling hints to help you look up in the dictionary a word you cannot spell. • A dictionary entry will tell you how a word is spelled and pronounced and give you various meanings of the word. It will also provide other helpful information about words. Page 35 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use This Chapter in a Nutshell Page 35 in textbook The dictionary is a valuable tool. To help you use it, this chapter explains in a clear and detailed way what you need to know about dictionaries and the information they provide.

Owning Your Own Dictionaries CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Owning Your Own Dictionaries You can benefit greatly by owning two dictionaries. The first dictionary you should own is a paperback edition you can carry with you. Any of the following would be a good choice: Page 36 in textbook

You can benefit greatly by owning two dictionaries. CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Owning Your Own Dictionaries You can benefit greatly by owning two dictionaries. The second dictionary you should own is a desk-sized, hardcover edition, which should be kept in the room where you study. Here are two good hardbound dictionaries: Page 36 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Online Dictionaries Page 37 in textbook If your computer is connected to the Internet, you may find it easy to check words online. Here is one dictionary site you can go to: www.merriam-webster.com

If you go online to www.merriam-webster.com and type in the word CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Online Dictionaries If you go online to www.merriam-webster.com and type in the word fortify, you will see something like this: Page 38 in textbook

Notice the speaker icon next to the word fortify. CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Online Dictionaries Notice the speaker icon next to the word fortify. If you click on this icon, the word will be pronounced for you. Page 38 in textbook

Finding Words in the Dictionary CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary Using Guidewords to Find a Word One way to find a given word in a dictionary is to use guidewords—the pair of words at the very top of each dictionary page. Here are the top and bottom parts of a page in one paperback dictionary: Page 39 in textbook

• The first guideword tells what the first word is on that page. CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary / Using Guidewords to Find a Word • The first guideword tells what the first word is on that page. • The second guideword tells what the last word is on the page. • All the word entries on the page fall alphabetically between the two guidewords. Page 39 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary / Using Guidewords to Find a Word Which word below would be found on the dictionary page with the guidewords armful / arsenic? armful | arsenic art aroma allow Page 40 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary / Using Guidewords to Find a Word Which word below would be found on the dictionary page with the guidewords armful / arsenic? armful | arsenic art aroma allow Page 40 in textbook The word aroma falls alphabetically between armful and arsenic. The word art comes after arsenic. The word allow comes before armful.

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary Finding a Word You Can’t Spell If you want to find a word in the dictionary, but you don’t know how to spell the word, you have to guess what the letters might be. Here are three hints to help you in such cases: Hint 1: If you’re not sure about the vowels in a word, you will have to experiment. • Vowels often sound the same. So try an i in place of an a, an i in place of an e, and so on. • If, for example, you don’t find a word that sounds as if it begins with pa, try looking under pe, pi, po, pu, or py. Page 41 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary / Finding a Word You Can’t Spell Hint 2: These groups or combinations of letters below often sound alike. • If your word isn’t spelled with one of the letters in a pair or group shown below, try another in the same pair or group. • For example, if it isn’t spelled with a k, it might be spelled with a c. c/k c/s f/v/ph g/j qu/kw/k s/c/z sch/sc/sk sh/ch shun/tion /sion w/wh able/ible ai/ay al/el/le ancy/ency ate/ite au/aw ea/ee er/or ie/ei ou/ow oo/u y/i/e Page 41 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Finding Words in the Dictionary / Finding a Word You Can’t Spell Hint 3: Consonants are sometimes doubled in a word. If you can’t find your word with a single consonant, try doubling it. Page 41 in textbook

Learning from a Dictionary Entry CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry Sample Dictionary Entry All of the following information may be provided in a dictionary entry: 1 Spelling and Syllables 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Page 42 in textbook 3 Parts of Speech 4 Irregular Forms of Words 5 Definitions (Meanings) 6 Synonyms 7 Usage Labels

1 2 3 1 Spelling and Syllables CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 1 Spelling and Syllables • The dictionary first gives the correct spelling and syllable breakdown of a word. Page 42 in textbook • Dots separate the words into syllables. In the entry for disrespect, the word is divided into three syllables. 1 2 3

How many syllables are in each of these words? CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 1 Spelling and Syllables How many syllables are in each of these words? do•nate com•pen•sate o•be•di•ent 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 Page 42 in textbook 2 syllables 3 syllables 4 syllables

2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks • In a dictionary entry, the information in parentheses shows you how to pronounce the word. • It includes two kinds of symbols: pronunciation symbols and accent marks. Page 43 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Pronunciation Symbols The pronunciation symbols tell the sounds of the consonants and the vowels in a word. Page 43 in textbook Vowels are the letters a, e, i, o, and u. (Sometimes y is also a vowel, as in myself and copy.) To know how to pronounce the vowel sounds, use the pronunciation key in your dictionary.

Here is a sample pronunciation key: CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Pronunciation Symbols Here is a sample pronunciation key: To use the pronunciation key, match the symbol (√, ∂, and so on) with the letter or letters in bold print in the short word that follows the symbol. Page 43 in textbook For instance, √ (also called “short a”) sounds like the a in hat.

This tells you that the i is pronounced like the i in the word sit. CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Pronunciation Symbols Pronunciation Key Page 43 in textbook This tells you that the i is pronounced like the i in the word sit. • The i in disrespect has the symbol µ. • The first e in the word also has the symbol µ. It is also pronounced like the i in the word sit.

The second e in disrespect is pronounced like the e in what word? CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Pronunciation Symbols Pronunciation Key Page 43 in textbook The second e in disrespect is pronounced like the e in what word? Answer: Like the e in ten

The black marks in the pronunciation guide are accent marks. CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Accent Marks The black marks in the pronunciation guide are accent marks. • The line after the t at the end of disrespect is a bold accent mark. It shows which syllable has the strongest stress. Page 46 in textbook • The first syllable (dis) has a lighter accent mark after it. That syllable is more stressed than the unaccented second syllable but less strongly stressed than the last syllable.

Which syllable is most strongly stressed in each of the words below? CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 2 Pronunciation Symbols and Accent Marks Accent Marks Which syllable is most strongly stressed in each of the words below? Answers: Second Second Third Page 46 in textbook First Third

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 3 Parts of Speech Every word in the dictionary is either a noun, a verb, an adjective, or another part of speech. In dictionary entries, the parts of speech are shown by letters in italics. In the entry for disrespect, for example, the abbreviations v. and n. tell us that disrespect is both a verb and a noun. Page 47 in textbook

pron. — pronoun conj. — conjunction CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 3 Parts of Speech Here are the most common abbreviations for parts of speech: n. — noun v. — verb pron. — pronoun conj. — conjunction adj. — adjective prep. — preposition adv. — adverb interj. — interjection Page 48 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 3 Parts of Speech In the dictionary entry below, what parts of speech are given for the word insult? Page 47 in textbook Answers: Verb and Noun

4 Irregular Forms of Words CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 4 Irregular Forms of Words When other forms of a word are spelled in an irregular way, those forms are shown in the dictionary entry. Here are some examples: Pages 48-49 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 5 Definitions Words often have more than one meaning. The dictionary lists the different meanings. You can tell which definition of a word fits a given sentence by the meaning of the sentence. Page 50 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 5 Definitions Which dictionary meaning for the word revive best fits the sentence below? Modern technology can revive patients who have actually been considered medically dead. revive: 1. To bring back to life or consciousness. 2. To impart or regain health or vigor. 3. To restore to use. Page 50 in textbook

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 5 Definitions Which dictionary meaning for the word revive best fits the sentence below? Modern technology can revive patients who have actually been considered medically dead. revive: 1. To bring back to life or consciousness. 2. To impart or regain health or vigor. 3. To restore to use. Page 50 in textbook Definition 1 best fits the sentence: Modern technology can bring a patient back to life.

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 6 Synonyms Page 51 in textbook A synonym is a word whose meaning is similar to that of another word. For instance, two synonyms for the word fast are quick and speedy.

www.merriam-webster.com or www.thesaurus.com CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 6 Synonyms Dictionary entries sometimes end with synonyms. More information on synonyms as well as antonyms (words with opposite meanings) can be found in a thesaurus (thµ-sôr£®s), which is a collection of synonyms and antonyms. Page 51 in textbook If you have access to the Internet, you can find a free thesaurus online by going to www.merriam-webster.com or www.thesaurus.com

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 6 Synonyms You may want to own a paperback thesaurus such as one of the following: Page 52 in textbook

• The phrase hang in, meaning “to persist,” is labeled “Informal.” CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry 7 Usage Labels Besides listing definitions, a dictionary often includes usage labels: terms that tell us if a meaning is considered something other than “Standard English.” Examples of Usage Labels • One meaning for the verb crash, “to go to sleep,” is labeled “Slang.” • The phrase hang in, meaning “to persist,” is labeled “Informal.” • The word ain’t is labeled “Nonstandard.” Page 52 in textbook Such labels indicate language not considered appropriate in formal speech and writing.

CHAPTER 1 Dictionary Use Learning from a Dictionary Entry / 7 Usage Labels In addition to usage labels, the dictionary provides field labels—special meanings of a word within a certain field. Example of Field Labels • The following definition of the word mouse is labeled “Computer Science”: A hand-held input device used to move about a computer screen and operate programs. Page 52 in textbook