The Dictionary

Read the information about “The dictionary and its uses”. Discuss some difficult sentences with your friends.

THE DICTIONARY AND ITS USES

Have you got a dictionary? As a student of English you should have an English dictionary. A dictionary is important for somebody learning English. It helps the learner to study the English language.

A dictionary is a kind of reference book. It gives a list of words in alphabetical order and gives information about them. It explains their pronunciation, spelling and meaning. In addition, a good dictionary also explains how words are used. For example, it mentions what part of speech a word is. This helps the student to use words in sentences. An English dictionary that has explanations in English is called a monolingual dictionary. An English dictionary that has explanations in Indonesia is called bilingual dictionary.

People classify dictionaries by size and coverage. There are pocket dictionaries or small dictionaries and large ones. A small dictionary usually contains a limited number of words. It may be suitable for beginners. A larger dictionary has more words and may be suitable for advanced learners.

What can you do if you do not know the meaning of a word? If you ask someone to explain it to you, he may not know it. If you have a dictionary, it will help you. You can look up the word in the dictionary and it will explain to you what you want to know. Also, if you want to know the use, spelling or pronunciation of a word, consult your dictionary.

If you have understood the information on the text, answer the questions below!

Now answer the questions:

NAME:

1. What is a dictionary?

2. What does a dictionary give?

3. Why is an English dictionary important for a student of English?

4. Explain the differences between a monolingual dictionary and a bilingual dictionary?

5. How do people classify dictionaries?

6. What type of dictionary contains a limited number of words?

7. Which type of dictionary is suitable for advanced learners?

8. When do we use a dictionary?

9. Does a dictionary explain only the meanings of words?

10. What else does a dictionary explain?

If you have finished the answers, now print this out and give it to your teacher or send it by email to:

suhaeriendang@yahoo.com

Now you discuss with your friends about how important a dictionary in learning English. In the present, a dictionary not only forms a pocket dictionary and a complete dictionary but also in an electronic tool and a program in a computer.

So, you discuss with your friends about this case what its advantages and weakness in each differences.

If you have finished the discussion, now you write the opinion and statement in a paper.

Learn the sentences below (in the text “The dictionary and its uses)

1. Have you got a dictionary?
2. A dictionary is important for somebody learning English
3. It helps the learner to study the English language.
4. If you have a dictionary, it will help you.

Look all words that underlined are about tenses.

The first sentence is present perfect tense that has construction:

· She/ He/ It + has + V₃

· They/ We/ I + have + V₃

Present perfect is used to explain activity that its time continues from the past until now.

The second and the third sentence are simple present tense that has construction:

• She/ He/ It + V₁(es/s) or To Be (is)
• I + V₁ or To Be (am)
• They/ We + V₁ or To Be (are)

Simple present tense is used to explain activity that happens now.

The fourth sentence is simple future tense that has construction:

• She/ He/ It/ I/ They/ We + will/shall + V₁

Simple future tense is used to explain activity that its time will come.

Make a sentence about tenses above from the words below.

1. arrive
2. see
3. finish
4. write
5. study
6. come
7. go
8. send
9. use
10. read

Now make a good paragraph that use three tenses (Present Perfect Tense, Simple Present Tense, and simple Future Tense)