1. Dictionary Skills Members: 1. Goh Teck Song 2. Lee Yu Wei
3. Suhaily Binti Ramlan
4. Raja Nor Wafiah Binti Raja Abdullah

2. A dictionary is…
a reference book containing words, usually alphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, and meanings.
a reference book listing terms or names important to a particular subject along with a discussion of their meanings. A sample sentence is often included.

3. Dictionaries: guidebooks; They tell how words are used by people
Dictionaries: guidebooks; They tell how words are used by people. It is a reference book. It gives information about words.
Dictionaries have new words like Internet, login, and website and old-fashioned words like “steed” which means horse. Some dictionaries have special purposes like a medical or a sports dictionary.
Dictionaries are arranged alphabetically.

4. Types of Dictionaries
Unabridged: Not shorten; complete; a large, extensive dictionary that is not based on a larger edition. The unabridged English dictionaries attempt to contain all words in the English language.
Abridged: to abbreviate; to lessen in length; to shorten by using fewer words but keeping the main contents. An abridged dictionary contains words in common use.
Kinds of Dictionaries
science, geographical, law, sports, biographical, rhyming, medical, picture
Let’s take a closer look!

5. How to use a dictionary Step 1
Know the alphabet very well and know where the letters
Example: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S U V W X Y Z

6. Step 2 Think of the word to look up.
Then open the dictionary to as close to the first letter or two of the word as possible. 
Then either turn back or forward to find the word.

7. Step 3
To help the search, dictionaries have guide words to help.  Guide words are at the top of each page. 
The first guide word is the first word on a page, and the second guide word at the top of the page is the last word on the page. 
Using the guidewords, you should find the word you a looking for easily.  It will be between the words.

8. sample sentence/phrase
An up close look at a dictionary ENTRY…
guide words
entry
liberate lifelong
Phonetic symbols
Part of speech
li-brar-y
(lye-brer-ee) noun
A place where books, magazines, newspaper, tapes and videos are kept for reading or borrowing.
We have a great reference section in our library.
noun, plural libraries, noun, librarian
illustration
sample sentence/phrase
The numbers show the many definitions a word may have.

9. Additional Information The Meaning of the Entry Word Synonyms
Dictionary Skills
Definitions
Additional Information
The Meaning of the Entry Word
Synonyms
Cross References

10. Dictionary Skills Definitions
Many words have several meaning and most dictionaries list the oldest meaning first.
The first symbol in this part of the entry is “•n ‘’.
The first definition shows how the word is used to name a person, place or thing (noun)
For example:

11. Dictionary Skills Additional Information In the Dictionary
A lots of information in each entry, but also contain extra information in sections at the beginning or the end.
At the front, there is an essay and a guide designed to help users understand the various kinds of information listed after each headword.
At the end of the dictionary, there some extra sections or appendices.
List of abbreviation and phonetic symbol written in the cover page.

12. Dictionary Skills The Meaning of the Entry Word
Look at the meaning of the word.
CARPENTER
A worker who builds or repairs wooden structures or their structural parts
Word appears a second time – discover the abbreviation “vb” indicating that this word is to be used as a verb.
Simply insert the entry word where you see the swung dash (~)
“~tered”
He has carpentered for six years

13. Dictionary Skills Synonyms
some dictionary entries also provide a list of synonyms (syn), words with similar meanings.
The choice of synonyms is not as good as in a Thesaurus.
Using synonyms found in the dictionary can be helpful, not only for finding an alternate word, but also for increasing your understanding of a new word.

14. Dictionary Skills Cross - references
Some dictionary entries contain cross-references.
Within the entry, you will find the word “see”, “compare”, or “ var of ” that directs you to another dictionary entry which will give you more information about the word you first looked up.

15. References Anonymous. (2008). Retrieved 27 June, 2012 from
Anonymous. (1998). Dictionary Skills. Retrieved 22 Jun, 2012
from
diction/module1.pdf.
Barry & Scholes,A.( 2001) Collins Junior Dictionary Skills.
London, England: Harper Collins Publisher Ltd
Wright, J.(1998). Dictionaries: Resources Books for Teachers, Oxford
English. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press