using the macmillan dictionary to build vocabulary€¢ is it formal, informal, literary…? image...

Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary

Michael Rundell

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Using the Macmillan Dictionary to build vocabulary | Michael Rundell | 3rd November 2015

… and what is it for?

What’s a dictionary?

Definition of “dictionary”

From the paper edition of Macmillan

Dictionary (2007)

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From the paper edition of Macmillan

Dictionary (2007)

•It’s a book

•It explains what words mean

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Features

•It’s a book

•It explains what words mean

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Functions

•Receptive

• you’ve seen or heard a word

• you’re not sure what it means





The latest one: from the online edition of

Macmillan Dictionary

macmillandictionary.com

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http://macmillandictionary.com





from macmillandictionary.com

• It can be a book OR a digital

resource

• It explains what words mean

• It also explains how words are

used (“uses”)

• And how you say them

(“pronunciations”)

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Features

• Explains what words mean

• Explains how they are used

• Provides pronunciations

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Functions

•Receptive uses

•Productive uses

•You want to use the word

yourself, so you need to know:

•how does it combine with other

words?

•how do you say it?


1. Grammar/syntax

Helping with productive tasks

recall

• easy to understand…but how do

I use it?

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1. Grammar/syntax


recall

• how do I use it?

• with a that-clause:

• I seem to recall that you…

• with a wh- clause:

• …trying to recall what had

happened…

• with a gerund:

• I don’t recall seeing the…

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2. Pronunciation


I’ve seen these words

written down,

I understand what they

mean,

- but how do you say them?

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colonel

anemone

choir

affidavit

heir

Worcester sauce

…..


2. Pronunciation


I’ve seen these words,

- but how do you say them?

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Two ways of finding out

•IPA symbols

•audio: listen to someone

saying it


Accuracy and fluency


In productive mode, we have

two goals:

Accuracy

avoiding mistakes that could make

your meaning less clear

Fluency

producing language which sounds

natural, idiomatic, appropriate to the

situation ….

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Accuracy: how the dictionary helps


1. Most of the information

helps with accuracy

• say it right

• spell it right

• get the grammar right

• ….

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Accuracy: getting it right


1. Most of the information helps with

accuracy

• spell it right

• say it right

• get the grammar right

2. Special feature: Get it Right boxes

• over 100 boxes

• based on evidence of common

problems experienced by learners

• avoid: often (wrongly) used with an

infinitive, corrected version shown

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Fluency: natural-sounding language


What are the keys to

fluency?

1. phraseology

• lots of words occur

very frequently in

fixed phrases

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What are the keys to fluency?

• phraseology

•common fixed expressions are

shown in bold type, and

followed by an example

sentence

• for the simple reason that…

• there is every reason to expect…

• we have no reason to think that…

• did she give a reason…?

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What are the keys to

fluency?

1. phraseology

2. collocation

•a combination of two

words that often go

together (and may

not be predictable)

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• phraseology

• collocation

•1000 collocation boxes show

the most typical, most

natural combinations

• box at reason shows

•adjectives that often

modify reason

•verbs often used when

reason is the object

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1. phraseology

2. collocation

3. register

•the context or situation

in which you’re using a

word

• is it formal, informal,

literary…?

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• phraseology

• collocation

• register

•“labels” indicate the level of

formality, the kinds of text a word

is normally used in, etc

• ameliorate is like improve - but

the label says “very formal”

• knackered is like tired or

exhausted - but it’s very informal

(and British, too)

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from macmillandictionary.com

• It explains what words mean

• It also explains how words are

used (“uses”)

• And how you say them

(“pronunciations”)

• But there’s more…

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Features


• Explains how they’re used, and

gives pronunciations

• Thesaurus: provides synonyms and

word-sets

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Functions

•Receptive uses

•what does it mean?

•Productive uses

•how does it combine, how do

you say it, is it the right

register…?

• Vocabulary building


Helping you choose the “right” word

Vocabulary building

Thesaurus

• every word, every meaning, every

phrase links to a thesaurus

•lists close synonyms, showing

subtle differences

•OR lists all the members of a set

(e.g. trees, parts of a car, types of

furniture…)

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Words similar to “intelligent”

Using the thesaurus

• Thesaurus lists 10 alternatives, for

every word or phrase

• You can access them from any of

these words

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Helping you choose the right word

Vocabulary building

Frequency

•Macmillan’s unique “Red Words” feature

•Most frequent words shown in red: the “core”

vocabulary of English

•7500 Red Words divided into three bands

• one-star, two-star, three-star words

•three-star words = 2500 most frequent

• Less frequent words shown in black

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Helping you choose the right word

Vocabulary building

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Frequency

•Macmillan’s unique “Red Words” feature

•Most frequent words shown in red: the “core”

vocabulary of English

•7500 Red Words divided into three bands

• one-star, two-star, three-star words

•three-star words = 2500 most frequent

• Less frequent words shown in black


Taking advantage of the medium


Features


• Explains how they’re used, and gives

pronunciations

• Thesaurus: synonyms and word-sets

• Frequency information

• Extra features on website:

• games, videos, infographics

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Functions

• Receptive: meaning

• Productive: use, pronunciation


• Language Awareness


Numerous resources…

Language Awareness

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“Resources” menu

shows range


Games

Language Awareness

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Language games

• frequency game: test your knowledge

• irregular verb wheel: practise

• phrasal verbs: how they work

• More to come

• Warning: can be addictive


Infographics

Language Awareness

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Videos

Language Awareness

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Videos on YouTube channel, including

• Real Grammar series

• 10 videos on questions of grammar - plus a

quiz

• NEW SERIES: Real Vocabulary, with Scott

Thornbury

• 10 videos, and a quiz, on questions of

vocabulary


Teaching and learning materials


Features



pronunciations

• Thesaurus and frequency information

• Extra features


• blog, BuzzWords, worksheets

and lesson plans

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Functions





• Teaching and learning materials


Teaching and learning ideas


Blog

• huge, searchable archive

• posts written by experts

• wide range of topics

• language change

• linguistics

• word formation

• grammar

• common errors

• pragmatics …

• good resource for 10-minute fillers

• read, react, discuss

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Worksheets and lesson plans

• downloadable teaching materials

• worksheets for videos, BuzzWords

etc

• e-lesson plans

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Worksheets and lesson plans

• downloadable teaching materials

• worksheets for videos, BuzzWords

etc

• e-lesson plans

• lesson plans on Pragmatics

• e.g. ways of apologising,

advising, suggesting, agreeing…

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All the features, and what they do


Features



pronunciations

• Thesaurus and frequency

information

• Extra features


• blog, BuzzWords, worksheets

and lesson plans

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Functions





• Teaching and learning materials


A one-stop teaching and learning resource

Macmillan Dictionary

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www.macmillandictionary.com

http://www.macmillandictionary.com

http://www.macmillandictionary.com

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using the macmillan dictionary to build vocabulary€¢ is it formal, informal, literary…? image...

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