English Language Arts
Grade 3
15 min
Use dictionary entries: set 2
Use dictionary entries: set 2
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the part of speech for a word in a dictionary entry.
Explain what a sample sentence is and how it helps understand a word.
Choose the correct definition for a word with multiple meanings by using context clues from a sentence.
Recognize and understand common abbreviations for parts of speech, such as (n.) for noun and (v.) for verb.
Use all parts of a dictionary entry to fully understand a new word.
Explain the meaning of a word in their own sentences after reading its dictionary entry.
Have you ever heard a word that has more than one meaning, like the word 'bat'? 🦇 Is it a flying animal or something you use in baseball? Let's find out how a dictionary helps!
In this lesson, we will become dictionary detectives! We will learn ho...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Entry WordThe word you are looking up in the dictionary. It is usually in bold print.In the entry for 'happy', the word **happy** is the entry word.
Part of SpeechThis tells you what kind of word it is, like a noun, verb, or adjective. It's often shown as a short abbreviation.For the word 'run', the dictionary might show (v.), which means it's a verb (an action word).
DefinitionThe meaning of the word. A word can have more than one definition.A definition for **cold** could be 'having a low temperature'.
Multiple MeaningsWhen one word has two or more different definitions. They are usually numbered (1., 2., 3.).The word **bat** can mean 1. a flying mammal, or 2. a piece of wood used to hit a ball.
Sample SentenceA sentence that...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Context Clue Rule
Read the sentence the word is in. Use the other words in the sentence as clues to pick the correct numbered definition.
When a word has multiple meanings, you can't just pick the first one. You must think about how the word is being used in the sentence you found it in.
The Part of Speech Check
Look at the part of speech abbreviation (n., v., adj.) to help you understand the word's job in a sentence.
Knowing if a word is a noun (a thing), a verb (an action), or an adjective (a describing word) helps you understand its meaning and how to use it correctly in your own writing.
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
Read the entry:
**match** (mach)
*noun* 1. a short, thin stick used to start a fire.
*noun* 2. a game or contest.
*verb* 3. to be the same or go well with something.
Now read the sentence: Her blue shoes **match** her blue dress.
Which statement best explains why definition 3 is the correct choice?
A.The shoes are a contest.
B.The shoes can start a fire.
C.In the sentence, 'match' is an action (a verb) that means the shoes and dress go well together.
D.In the sentence, 'match' is a thing (a noun) that you can hold.
Challenging
A student is writing a report about the history of flying. Which dictionary entry would be MORE helpful for their report?
**Entry 1:**
**plane** (playn) *noun* 1. a flat surface. 2. a tool for smoothing wood.
**Entry 2:**
**plane** (playn) *noun* 1. short for airplane; a vehicle that flies.
A.Entry 1, because flying is smooth.
B.Entry 1, because a plane has flat wings.
C.Entry 2, because it directly mentions a vehicle that flies.
D.Neither, because both entries are for the wrong word.
Challenging
Read the sentence: The rules of the game are very **fair**.
Now look at the dictionary entry:
**fair** (fair)
*adjective* 1. treating people equally.
*adjective* 2. light in color, such as hair or skin.
*noun* 3. an outdoor event with games and food.
Which part of speech and definition number correctly describe the word **fair** in the sentence?
A.noun, definition 3
B.adjective, definition 2
C.adjective, definition 1
D.adjective, definitions 1 and 2
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