ENG101 Handouts Set 2

Table of Contents:

Topic Page No.

Reading for Main Idea Reading: Topic, Main Idea Reading: References Reading Skills Reading and Vocabulary Word FormationPrefixes Reading: Description, Locating Information Reading: Word Forms Reading: Understanding Reading Reading: Making Inferences Reading: Assessing the Text Reading: Assessing Texts Evaluating Texts: Interpreting Visual Data Reading: Evaluating Texts Reading: Cloze for Comprehension Reading: Skimming and Scanning Reading: Scanning and Language Functions Reading: Classifying, Cause and Effect Relationship Reading: Presenting Information Graphically Writing: Sentence Types Writing: Effective Sentences: Unity, Coherence, Emphasis WRITING: IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS WRITING: REVISING SENTENCE ERRORS Subject Verb Agreement Writing Word Choice Punctuation Writing: Paragraphs: Structural Parts Writing: Paragraph Writing: Paragraphs Writing: Essay Writing Essay writing Writing: Essay Outlines Writing: Selecting and Researching an Essay Topic Writing: Ways of Organizing Texts: Linear Writing: Ways of Organizing Texts Writing: Ways of Organizing Texts Writing Skills Writing: Summary Writing Grammar and Usage: Tenses and Passive Sentences

Lesson -01

This lesson is in two parts. In the first part, you will learn about the:

• uses of a language dictionary

In the second part of the lesson, you will read an interesting story.

Definition of Dictionary

A dictionary is a book that not only lists and records the words of a language but it also tells you how speakers of the language spell, pronounce, define, explain and use the words of their language.

Reference Book - provides useful information. It is valuable only if you learn how to use it correctly and efficiently.

List of Dictionary Uses (9)

The following is a list of things that can be learned from a dictionary:

(i) Spelling (ii) iii) Part of speech iv) Origin of word (v) Meaning/explanation (vi) Usage/restrictive lables (vii) Synonyms & antonyms (viii) Foreign words & phrases ix)

i)

Spelling

Many students find English spelling very confusing. So what do you do? Consult your dictionary. It will clarify your confusion by showing you the different spellings of the same word.

Look at the words catalogue and theatre. You must have noticed that the dictionary lists both BRE and AE/US spelling of the words. Both are correct.

Exercise (i) Spelling:

Use the dictionary to answer the following questions about spelling. a) What other possible spellings does your dictionary give for these words?

Centre

Color

b) Does your dictionary say anything about the spelling ‘humor’ and ‘rumor’?

(ii)

Students have problems in pronouncing English words. A dictionary will help you learn the pronunciation of any word but only if you are familiar with the symbols in which they are written. We will discuss this in greater detail in the next lesson.

All language dictionaries carry a pronunciation key/table. Be sure to read it.

(iii) Part of speech

All dictionaries indicate the part of speech a word belongs to - whether the word is commonly used as a Noun, Pronoun, Verb (transitive, intransitive), Adjective, Adverb, Conjunction, or Preposition etc.

iv) Origin of Words

Some dictionaries indicate the origin and derivation of a word before it became an English word.

(v)

Meaning/ Explanation / Definition of words

The most important information that a dictionary provides about a word is its meaning. Most of the words have many meanings or shades of meaning. Do not just read the first listed meaning of the word you are looking for. Go down the numbered list. Look for the meaning that best suits the context in which the word is used.

Also look up words above and below the word that you are looking for. You will find that words are often closely related. It will help to extend your recognition of the word in other forms and contexts.

Exercise (v-a) Meaning:

Look up the words ‘fast’ and ‘set’ in a dictionary. Write the total number of different meanings of each word. Include all the numbered and lettered meanings for each part of speech.

Exercise (v-b): Meaning/ Explanation / Definition of words.

Use the dictionary to find the specific meanings of the word ‘play’ in each of the following:

1. The boys like to play on the hard court.
2. Amna will play the sitar in the concert.
3. The play produced by the arts club was a success.
4. It was a clever play that won the football game.
5. The gardener played the hose on the flower beds.
6. A ‘week without water can make one weak’ is a play on words.