Primary School English Quiz - Dictionary - Choose A Word Consulting A Dictionary (Questions)

We know that English is a language spoken by the largest number of people in the world. How do these people keep track of the thousands of words that are in the English language? The answer is through a dictionary!

A dictionary keeps track of all the words in a manner that is designed for easy reference and retrieval. If you want to look for a word whose meaning you want to know, then you go to a dictionary and search for the word and you will find its meaning.

The dictionary is arranged in alphabetical order so as to enable the user to quickly search for the word he wants. For instance, if you want to find the meaning of DEMOLISH then you open the dictionary where the words with letter ‘D’ start. Obviously, they come after listing all the words starting with A, B and C. The words with the letter D start with the first letter as D and the second letter as A. When all the words starting with DA are exhausted then the dictionary starts listing words starting with DB. This kind of listing continues till the words with DZ are exhausted. Then, the dictionary starts listing the words starting with the letter ‘E’. So, when you are searching for the word DEMOLISH you start where all the words starting with DD end and run quickly through to the ending of words starting with DEM and so on till you reach the words starting with DEMOLISH. You will find that this is a unique word and in the dictionary it comes after DEMOISELLE.

Remember that there are many kinds of dictionaries and they have their own unique way of presenting the words but. Some of the dictionaries also give additional information such as the pronunciation of the word and the origin of the word. Of course, with the advent of the internet it is now possible to view a dictionary online without taking recourse to a dictionary in book form. The online dictionaries give much more information and in addition they can also give synonyms or antonyms for a word.

The next time you come across a new word and you want to know its meaning all you have to do is look it up in a dictionary. While you are at it look up the meaning of DEMOISELLE! Take this quiz and learn new words through the use of a dictionary.