Use guide words

Learning Objectives Define the term 'guide words' and explain their purpose. Locate the guide words on a dictionary page. Determine if a specific word can be found on a page by comparing it to the two guide words. Apply alphabetical order rules beyond the first letter to correctly place a word between guide words. Explain the step-by-step process for using guide words to find a word quickly. Predict whether a word will appear before, on, or after a given dictionary page. Use guide words to increase the speed and efficiency of looking up words for writing assignments. Ever tried to find one specific Lego in a giant bucket? 🧱 Using a dictionary without guide words is just like that! Let's learn the secret shortcut. This tutorial will teach you about guide wo...

TermDefinitionExample Guide WordsThe two words printed at the top of each dictionary page. They show the first and last entry words on that page.If the guide words are 'lizard' and 'load', every word on that page will fall alphabetically between them, like 'lit' or 'loaf'. Entry WordA word listed and defined in a dictionary. These are the words you look up.In the definition for 'brave', the word 'brave' is the entry word. Alphabetical OrderThe arrangement of letters or words in the standard order of the alphabet (A, B, C, etc.).'Apple', 'Banana', and 'Carrot' are in alphabetical order. First Guide WordThe guide word on the left side of the page top; it is the very first entry word on that page.On a p...

The 'Between' Rule A word belongs on a page if it comes alphabetically AFTER the first guide word AND BEFORE the second guide word. This is the most important rule. You must check your word against both guide words. If it fails either check, it's not on that page. The Letter-by-Letter Comparison Rule Compare your word to the guide words one letter at a time, from left to right, until you find a difference. If the first letters are the same, move to the second. If those are the same, move to the third, and so on. The first letter that is different determines the alphabetical order.