Year 5 English: Using a dictionary: the first letters and guide words
Part of the Year 5 English the year 5-6 word list, silent letters and the thesaurus chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Using a dictionary: the first letters and guide words
Key pattern
A dictionary is in alphabetical order. Use the first two or three letters to find the right part of the book.
Each page has two guide words at the top. The first is the first word on the page; the second is the last.
A word is on the page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
Key ideas
- Use the first letter to find the right section, then the second letter, then the third.
- Guide words show the first and last words on a page.
- If a word is between the guide words, it is on that page.
- If you are not sure of the spelling, try a different first letter, such as the sound you can hear.
Method. Compare the letters one at a time.
- Compare the first letters. All three start with c.c, c, c
- Compare the second letters. cemetery has e; committee and community have o. e comes before o.cemetery first
- Compare committee and community. The third letters are m and m; the fourth letters are m and m; then i and u: i comes first.committee, then community
- Write the answer. cemetery, committee, community
Check. The order is cemetery, committee, community. ✓
Method. Compare the letters of excellent with both guide words.
- Compare with equip. Excellent comes after equip, because e-x comes after e-q.after equip
- Compare with exaggerate. Both start with ex. The third letters are c and a. The a in exaggerate comes first, so excellent comes after exaggerate.after exaggerate
- Write the answer. No
Check. Excellent comes after exaggerate, so it is not on this page. ✓
Method. Compare the letters from the start.
- Compare the first two letters. Both start with fo.fo, fo
- Compare the third letters. foreign has e; forty has r. e comes before r.foreign first
- Write the answer. foreign
Check. Foreign comes before forty. ✓
Exercise 3D Practice: guide words
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is dictionary after dictionary in the alphabet?Yes, dictionary is after dictionary
- Compare with the second guide word. Is dictionary before disastrous in the alphabet?Yes, dictionary is before disastrous
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. dictionary is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is forty after foreign in the alphabet?Yes, forty is after foreign
- Compare with the second guide word. Is forty before frequently in the alphabet?Yes, forty is before frequently
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. forty is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is harass after guarantee in the alphabet?Yes, harass is after guarantee
- Compare with the second guide word. Is harass before hindrance in the alphabet?Yes, harass is before hindrance
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. harass is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is identity after hindrance in the alphabet?Yes, identity is after hindrance
- Compare with the second guide word. Is identity before interfere in the alphabet?Yes, identity is before interfere
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. identity is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is language after lightning in the alphabet?No, language is not after lightning
- Compare with the second guide word. Is language before marvellous in the alphabet?Yes, language is before marvellous
- Write the answer. No
Check. language is not between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is muscle after mischievous in the alphabet?Yes, muscle is after mischievous
- Compare with the second guide word. Is muscle before nuisance in the alphabet?Yes, muscle is before nuisance
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. muscle is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is vehicle after variety in the alphabet?Yes, vehicle is after variety
- Compare with the second guide word. Is vehicle before yacht in the alphabet?Yes, vehicle is before yacht
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. vehicle is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A word is on a page if it comes between the two guide words in alphabetical order.
- Compare with the first guide word. Is ancient after accompany in the alphabet?Yes, ancient is after accompany
- Compare with the second guide word. Is ancient before appreciate in the alphabet?Yes, ancient is before appreciate
- Write the answer. Yes
Check. ancient is between the guide words. ✓
Watch out. A word that matches a guide word exactly is also on that page.
Method. A shorter word that is the start of a longer word comes first.
- Compare the letters. sincere is the start of sincerely, so every letter of sincere comes first.sincere
- Check the next letter. sincerely has extra letters at the end, so it comes after sincere.sincere, then sincerely
- Write the answer. sincere
Check. Sincere comes first. ✓
Method. Use the first letters to find the right part of the dictionary.
- Use the first letter. Thorough starts with t, so look in the t section.t
- Use the next letters. Th comes next, then ho, so look for th words.th, ho
- Use the guide words. Find the page where thorough is between the guide words.the right page
- Write the answer. find the t section, then look for th, then ho, and use the guide words to find the page
Check. Thorough is found in the t section, then by the guide words. ✓