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The Right Word
July, 2007 - "Choosing Your Vocabulary Reference Tools"
July, 2007 - "Choosing Your Vocabulary Reference Tools"
Choosing vocabulary reference tools for yourself is important. Expanding your vocabulary will help you to
become a better writer. It is best to have a printed dictionary, thesaurus, and rhyming dictionary in your
home so that you can use them anytime. The most up-to-date versions of these reference tools are sold in
bookstores. You can get used ones for only a few dollars in second-hand bookstores.
It is important to choose a dictionary that is at the right level for you. When you are choosing a dictionary,
the first thing to consider is whether it will help you to expand your vocabulary by introducing you to new
words that you don’t already know. Dictionaries can have as few as 10,000 words, and as many as 500,000
words. How big is your vocabulary now? If you are going to expand your vocabulary, choose a dictionary
that has more words in it than the number of words you already know. Open up a dictionary you are
considering buying. Do you already know all the words on the page? Then that dictionary is too easy for
you. Find a dictionary that lists many words you don’t know.
How many words should your dictionary have? It is estimated that the entire English language has grown to
a total of about one million words, including slang words, regional dialects, and scientific terms. Studies
have shown that the average educated adult who is a native speaker of American English knows
approximately 20,000 word families. A word family is a base word, such as “able”, along with its other
forms, such as “ability” and “unable”. Since a word family contains several words, that average adult
knows MANY tens of thousands of words!! The average adult would already know more words than the
number of words in a dictionary containing 20,000 word entries. A writer should strive to expand his
vocabulary and be familiar with many more words than the average person, because words are the essence
of the writer’s craft.
As an example of the number of word entries versus word families, the Websters Third International
Dictionary Unabridged has over 50,000 word families, which results in a three-volume set of books with
over 400,000 word entries. The young writer will not want such a huge vocabulary reference tool, but the
adult writer would be challenged to expand his vocabulary with such a dictionary.
Another important feature to consider when choosing a dictionary is the level of vocabulary used in
explanations of word entries. If you are a young writer, it will be helpful if the definitions are purposefully
written in simpler language than the main entry being defined. Dictionaries labeled as “Student
Dictionaries” or “Learner Dictionaries” often have this feature.
Some other general features to consider when you are choosing a dictionary are the size of print font, the
size and weight and durability of the book, the use of pictures, and the use of examples. If you have poor
vision, a dictionary labeled as “Large Print” for the visually impaired can be very helpful. Within the range
of normal print dictionaries, there is a variation in the size of the font being used. Especially in small
paperback dictionaries, the size of the print font can be so small that you will need a magnifying glass to
read it! The size and weight of the book is important if you will be carrying it around with you in a
backpack, but it is less important if you will be keeping the dictionary at your desk at home. A hardback
version of the book will be more durable than a paperback version, but a hardback version will cost more.
Some dictionaries use a lot of pictures in their definitions, and that can be very helpful in learning and
understanding new words. There are many dictionaries that use examples to explain words; some
dictionaries use common everyday sentences as examples, and other dictionaries use quotes from famous
authors and literature as examples. It may be more helpful to you as a writer to see examples from
literature, but younger writers may prefer everyday sentences instead.
There are dictionaries which incorporate a thesaurus into their printed version, either as a separate
section at the end of the book or by including a list of synonyms for each word entry after the word’s
definition. You may prefer a dictionary that incorporates a thesaurus function. Otherwise, in choosing a
separate thesaurus, you must first decide if you would prefer a thematic format or an A-Z format. A
thesaurus with a thematic format has the words organized into broad themes, such as “The Body”. Then
within that theme, it lists many entry words, such as “skeleton”, “bones”, “muscles”, and “skin”. After
each entry word it lists synonyms and related words. On the other hand, a thesaurus with an A-Z format
lists all the entry words in simple alphabetical order. Once you have chosen a format, you should consider
two more important features: the total number of entry words, and the types of related words offered.
The total number of entry words should be appropriate for your age and development. Thesauruses have
different levels of vocabulary in them, with easier vocabulary levels being labeled “Junior Thesaurus” or
“Student Thesaurus”. Thesauruses differ as to the types of relationship words offered for each entry
word. Some thesauruses will give you only synonyms for each different word, which may be all you need.
But many thesauruses will give you synonyms and antonyms and other related words for the entry word,
which can be very helpful to you in expanding your vocabulary for your writing. After making the choices
of format, vocabulary level, and word relationships, you should then consider many of the other features
for your thesaurus that should be considered in choosing a dictionary, such as the size of print, the size
and weight of the book, and the durability of the book.
There are two main types of rhyming dictionaries to consider. The first type of rhyming dictionary is the
simplest, especially for young writers. It will list a word or the ending syllable of a word as it is spelled
normally, and then give you a list of other words that have the same ending sound. The second type of
rhyming dictionary is more difficult to use. It lists the ending syllable of a word as it is spelled phonetically,
which is how it sounds to the ear, and then give you a list of other words that have the same ending
sound.
For example, you want to find rhymes for the word “rain”. In the first type of rhyming dictionary, you
would look up the normal spelling “-ain” to find a list of rhyming words. In the second type of rhyming
dictionary, you would have to find the phonetic spelling of that ending syllable, which is “-AN” with the
letter “A” having a straight line over it. For the young writer, a phonetic rhyming dictionary can be
confusing at first, although after you have used it for awhile, it becomes easier to understand. If you
choose to get a phonetic rhyming dictionary and you are having trouble finding the phonetic spelling for a
word that you want to rhyme, it is helpful to look up the word in your regular dictionary, which will give
you the phonetic spelling for your word.
The other thing to consider when choosing a rhyming dictionary is whether or not it lists more complicated
rhymes than just the ending syllable. Double or two-syllable rhymes (“nation” and “station”) and triple or
three-syllable rhymes (“meriting” and “ferreting”) are given in separate sections in many rhyming
dictionaries, and this might be useful to you in your writing.
If you are not sure you can afford vocabulary reference tools, or if you have not decided which particular
reference tools to buy, the public library has these reference tools available for you to use for free in the
reference section. Also, there are numerous websites with free online versions of their dictionary,
thesaurus, and rhyming dictionary, which you can use to see which version you like best. The free online
versions are not as complete as the printed versions. After you have tried using various versions of the
three reference tools for free, it will be easier to decide which printed version you will want to purchase.
Finally, there are some new, useful CD and online vocabulary reference tools that cannot be duplicated in a
book version. These are the audio-pronunciation tool and the reverse-dictionary tool. The audio-
pronunciation tool is a feature of some dictionary CDs or websites that allows you to type in a word and
hear it pronounced correctly for you by the computer. For example, you can go to the Merriam-Webster’s
Learners Dictionary website, http://www.learnersdictionary.com/ type in the word “rain” in its
Pronunciation Dictionary with Audio search function, and it will pronounce that word aloud for you on your
computer as well as showing you its phonetic spelling. The reverse-dictionary tool is a feature of some
dictionary websites that allows you to type in a definition or inquiry, and the site will do a search for you
and offer a list of words that might be the one you are trying to find. For example, you can go to the
OneLook’s Reverse Dictionary website, http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml type in the
definition inquiry “when water falls from the sky”, and the search will return a list of 100 possible words,
including the matching words “rain” and “precipitation” and “shower”. Many of the 100 words returned by
this reverse-dictionary search obviously did NOT match your inquiry and make no sense, such as “red”! But
other unfamiliar words returned, such as “guttation”, which sounds a bit like “gutters” that do have to do
with rainfall, may or may not match your inquiry. So you could look up that unfamiliar word in your regular
dictionary before deciding whether or not it is a match for your definition inquiry. (“Guttation” is not a
match; it means “moisture exuding from a plant’s uninjured surface”.)
Have fun selecting and using your vocabulary reference tools to expand your vocabulary for writing!!
become a better writer. It is best to have a printed dictionary, thesaurus, and rhyming dictionary in your
home so that you can use them anytime. The most up-to-date versions of these reference tools are sold in
bookstores. You can get used ones for only a few dollars in second-hand bookstores.
It is important to choose a dictionary that is at the right level for you. When you are choosing a dictionary,
the first thing to consider is whether it will help you to expand your vocabulary by introducing you to new
words that you don’t already know. Dictionaries can have as few as 10,000 words, and as many as 500,000
words. How big is your vocabulary now? If you are going to expand your vocabulary, choose a dictionary
that has more words in it than the number of words you already know. Open up a dictionary you are
considering buying. Do you already know all the words on the page? Then that dictionary is too easy for
you. Find a dictionary that lists many words you don’t know.
How many words should your dictionary have? It is estimated that the entire English language has grown to
a total of about one million words, including slang words, regional dialects, and scientific terms. Studies
have shown that the average educated adult who is a native speaker of American English knows
approximately 20,000 word families. A word family is a base word, such as “able”, along with its other
forms, such as “ability” and “unable”. Since a word family contains several words, that average adult
knows MANY tens of thousands of words!! The average adult would already know more words than the
number of words in a dictionary containing 20,000 word entries. A writer should strive to expand his
vocabulary and be familiar with many more words than the average person, because words are the essence
of the writer’s craft.
As an example of the number of word entries versus word families, the Websters Third International
Dictionary Unabridged has over 50,000 word families, which results in a three-volume set of books with
over 400,000 word entries. The young writer will not want such a huge vocabulary reference tool, but the
adult writer would be challenged to expand his vocabulary with such a dictionary.
Another important feature to consider when choosing a dictionary is the level of vocabulary used in
explanations of word entries. If you are a young writer, it will be helpful if the definitions are purposefully
written in simpler language than the main entry being defined. Dictionaries labeled as “Student
Dictionaries” or “Learner Dictionaries” often have this feature.
Some other general features to consider when you are choosing a dictionary are the size of print font, the
size and weight and durability of the book, the use of pictures, and the use of examples. If you have poor
vision, a dictionary labeled as “Large Print” for the visually impaired can be very helpful. Within the range
of normal print dictionaries, there is a variation in the size of the font being used. Especially in small
paperback dictionaries, the size of the print font can be so small that you will need a magnifying glass to
read it! The size and weight of the book is important if you will be carrying it around with you in a
backpack, but it is less important if you will be keeping the dictionary at your desk at home. A hardback
version of the book will be more durable than a paperback version, but a hardback version will cost more.
Some dictionaries use a lot of pictures in their definitions, and that can be very helpful in learning and
understanding new words. There are many dictionaries that use examples to explain words; some
dictionaries use common everyday sentences as examples, and other dictionaries use quotes from famous
authors and literature as examples. It may be more helpful to you as a writer to see examples from
literature, but younger writers may prefer everyday sentences instead.
There are dictionaries which incorporate a thesaurus into their printed version, either as a separate
section at the end of the book or by including a list of synonyms for each word entry after the word’s
definition. You may prefer a dictionary that incorporates a thesaurus function. Otherwise, in choosing a
separate thesaurus, you must first decide if you would prefer a thematic format or an A-Z format. A
thesaurus with a thematic format has the words organized into broad themes, such as “The Body”. Then
within that theme, it lists many entry words, such as “skeleton”, “bones”, “muscles”, and “skin”. After
each entry word it lists synonyms and related words. On the other hand, a thesaurus with an A-Z format
lists all the entry words in simple alphabetical order. Once you have chosen a format, you should consider
two more important features: the total number of entry words, and the types of related words offered.
The total number of entry words should be appropriate for your age and development. Thesauruses have
different levels of vocabulary in them, with easier vocabulary levels being labeled “Junior Thesaurus” or
“Student Thesaurus”. Thesauruses differ as to the types of relationship words offered for each entry
word. Some thesauruses will give you only synonyms for each different word, which may be all you need.
But many thesauruses will give you synonyms and antonyms and other related words for the entry word,
which can be very helpful to you in expanding your vocabulary for your writing. After making the choices
of format, vocabulary level, and word relationships, you should then consider many of the other features
for your thesaurus that should be considered in choosing a dictionary, such as the size of print, the size
and weight of the book, and the durability of the book.
There are two main types of rhyming dictionaries to consider. The first type of rhyming dictionary is the
simplest, especially for young writers. It will list a word or the ending syllable of a word as it is spelled
normally, and then give you a list of other words that have the same ending sound. The second type of
rhyming dictionary is more difficult to use. It lists the ending syllable of a word as it is spelled phonetically,
which is how it sounds to the ear, and then give you a list of other words that have the same ending
sound.
For example, you want to find rhymes for the word “rain”. In the first type of rhyming dictionary, you
would look up the normal spelling “-ain” to find a list of rhyming words. In the second type of rhyming
dictionary, you would have to find the phonetic spelling of that ending syllable, which is “-AN” with the
letter “A” having a straight line over it. For the young writer, a phonetic rhyming dictionary can be
confusing at first, although after you have used it for awhile, it becomes easier to understand. If you
choose to get a phonetic rhyming dictionary and you are having trouble finding the phonetic spelling for a
word that you want to rhyme, it is helpful to look up the word in your regular dictionary, which will give
you the phonetic spelling for your word.
The other thing to consider when choosing a rhyming dictionary is whether or not it lists more complicated
rhymes than just the ending syllable. Double or two-syllable rhymes (“nation” and “station”) and triple or
three-syllable rhymes (“meriting” and “ferreting”) are given in separate sections in many rhyming
dictionaries, and this might be useful to you in your writing.
If you are not sure you can afford vocabulary reference tools, or if you have not decided which particular
reference tools to buy, the public library has these reference tools available for you to use for free in the
reference section. Also, there are numerous websites with free online versions of their dictionary,
thesaurus, and rhyming dictionary, which you can use to see which version you like best. The free online
versions are not as complete as the printed versions. After you have tried using various versions of the
three reference tools for free, it will be easier to decide which printed version you will want to purchase.
Finally, there are some new, useful CD and online vocabulary reference tools that cannot be duplicated in a
book version. These are the audio-pronunciation tool and the reverse-dictionary tool. The audio-
pronunciation tool is a feature of some dictionary CDs or websites that allows you to type in a word and
hear it pronounced correctly for you by the computer. For example, you can go to the Merriam-Webster’s
Learners Dictionary website, http://www.learnersdictionary.com/ type in the word “rain” in its
Pronunciation Dictionary with Audio search function, and it will pronounce that word aloud for you on your
computer as well as showing you its phonetic spelling. The reverse-dictionary tool is a feature of some
dictionary websites that allows you to type in a definition or inquiry, and the site will do a search for you
and offer a list of words that might be the one you are trying to find. For example, you can go to the
OneLook’s Reverse Dictionary website, http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml type in the
definition inquiry “when water falls from the sky”, and the search will return a list of 100 possible words,
including the matching words “rain” and “precipitation” and “shower”. Many of the 100 words returned by
this reverse-dictionary search obviously did NOT match your inquiry and make no sense, such as “red”! But
other unfamiliar words returned, such as “guttation”, which sounds a bit like “gutters” that do have to do
with rainfall, may or may not match your inquiry. So you could look up that unfamiliar word in your regular
dictionary before deciding whether or not it is a match for your definition inquiry. (“Guttation” is not a
match; it means “moisture exuding from a plant’s uninjured surface”.)
Have fun selecting and using your vocabulary reference tools to expand your vocabulary for writing!!