Step 2: Using the Dictionary
- Step 2: Using the Dictionary
- What if you don't know how to spell a word? How do you look
it up in the dictionary?
- Spacedog's tip: First, look up the way you think a word might be
spelled. Then if you don't see it, try a slightly different spelling.
- For instance:
- If we start with the word "astranot" we
discover it's not in the dictionary.
- So we try "astronot" (change the
second "a" to an "o").
- We find several words that relate to space (like
astronomy, astrometry and astrophysics).
- And there, on the same page is the word
"astronaut" the very word we are looking for. But just to be sure it's really the right word,
we read the definition: "a person trained for space travel".
- Now we can be sure it's the right word!
- Dictionaries also give hints about how to pronounce words,
and sometimes tell where words came from.
- A cool way to learn a new word is to use it in a sentence
six times the day you first look it up!