1. Dictionary Skills Grade 3 Lesson 1
What is a Dictionary?

2. What will we learn today?
What a dictionary is and why we use it
Parts of a dictionary and how to use them

3. I can…..
Look up words in alphabetical order in a dictionary and find their definitions (meanings)
Find how to spell a word by looking it up in the dictionary
Find the pronunciation of a word in the dictionary
Find and use Guide Words in a dictionary
Find the number of syllables in a word by looking it up in the dictionary

4. What is a Dictionary? A book of words, arranged in alphabetical order,
that shows how to spell the words
and tells their meanings.

5. Refer to a dictionary
When you want to know:
What a word means
How to spell a word
How to pronounce a word

6. Parts of a Dictionary
Main Entry Words are set in bold type and stick out a bit from the meanings. This is to help you find the word easier.
Guide Words tell you the first and last main entry words that appear on a page.
grate greenhouse

7. Parts of a Dictionary
Main Entry Words are listed in alphabetical order. Some words have more than one meaning.
These are listed below the entry under different numbers.

8. Alphabetical Order Arrange these words in ABC order
onion dandy
boat office
horse dart
boat
dandy
dart
horse
office
onion

9. Which of these entry words would be on a page with these guide words?
line literacy
list limp
litter like
linen liquid

10. Syllables A syllable is a unit of sound in a word.
The word cat has one syllable.
Syllable breaks may be indicated by small
dots in main entry words:
dic.tion.ar.y
The word dictionary has four syllables.

11. Pronunciations Pronunciations, given in parentheses,
follow most main entry words.
sam.ple (sam-pul)

12. Review We use a dictionary to find the: Meaning of a word
Spelling of a word
Pronunciation of a word

13. Which of these entry words would be on a page with these guide words?
Review - Guidewords
Which of these entry words would be on a page with these guide words?
cocoon cold
code color
coat coin