Network 1 Dictionary Activities using the Oxford Wordpower

Dictionary

To do these activities, you will need to use a copy of the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary – the
book or the CD-ROM.

Activity 1 • Counting parts of speech

Many of the words in the dictionary have more than one part of speech. Each part of
speech usually has its own entry. You can find the part of speech at the beginning of the
entry.

Look up the words below in bold (1–4) in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary and
decide if the statements are true or false.

1 cold can be an adjective or a verb.

2 major can be an adjective, a noun or a verb.
3 The dictionary shows 2 different parts of speech for present.
4 The dictionary shows 5 different parts of speech for well.

Network 1 • Dictionary Activities

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Activity 2 • Finding the right part of speech
Look up the words below (1–4) in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary and choose the
correct answer.

1 buy is
a a noun
b a verb
c a noun and a verb

2 choose is
a a noun
b a verb
c a noun and a verb

3 dark is
a a noun
b an adjective
c a noun and an adjective

4 lucky is
a a noun
b an adjective
c a noun and an adjective

Activity 3 • Looking at an entry

Words often have more than one meaning. The dictionary entry shows a list of the
meanings, or ‘senses’, that a word can have.

Look up coat in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary and answer each of the questions
with a number.

1 How many senses can you see for the noun coat? ________
3 Which sense of coat is another word for hair? ________
2 Which sense of coat means something you can wear? ________
4 Which sense of coat goes with painting? ________

Network 1 • Dictionary Activities

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Activity 4 • Finding the right meaning
Read sentences 1–4. Look up the words in bold in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary
and choose the correct meaning for each sentence.

1 A lot of people lost their jobs when the factory closed.

a sense 1
b sense 2
c sense 3

2 Sally invited us to her birthday party.

a sense 1
b sense 2
c sense 3
d sense 4

3 I tried to phone them, but the line was busy.

a sense 1
b sense 2
c sense 3
d sense 4

4 Did you remember to lock the front door?

a sense 1
b sense 2
c sense 3

Network 1 • Dictionary Activities

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Activity 5 • Finding the right preposition

The dictionary shows which prepositions are used with some words. You can see this
information at the beginning of the entry, or at the beginning of a ‘sense’.

Read sentences 1–4. Look up the words in bold in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary
and choose the correct preposition.

1 Don’t disturb Frank! He is busy ______ his homework.

a at
b from
c with

2 In this question, you have to choose ______ three possible answers.

a from
b by
c with

3 She’s very good ______ Maths.

a at
b on
c in

4 What do you think ______ your new teacher?

a to
b of
c by

Network 1 • Dictionary Activities

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