Here are three ways to find words faster. Please choose an option:

• modifying your dictionary - to make words easier to find
• headwords - what is a headword and why some words are not headwords
• alphabetical order - learn it and test yourself
• test and practice

If you have any suggestions or questions, please fill in a feedback form or e-mail the Webmaster.

Modifying your Dictionary

• You can shut your dictionary and write the first letter of the words on the sides of the pages. Then you will be able to open the dictionary to the right letter. See the picture on the right >

Headwords

• A headword is a word that you can look up in your dictionary. It is the first word in an entry. An entry includes a headword, pronunciation information, grammatical information, a definition and usually an example. Here is an example for the headword 'extreme':

Extreme (adj ). /ikstri:m/ Very great in degree or intensity. For example 'He died in extreme pain'.

• Sometimes headwords are called 'roots', because they are the 'base' word with a certain meaning, which other forms of the word come from. For example, words coming from 'Enthuse' include 'enthusiasm'(N)', 'enthusiast' (N), enthusiastic (Adj). 'Jump' is the headword or root of 'jumped', 'jumping', 'jumper', 'jumpy' etc. These derivative words will not all be found in your dictionary. It is assumed that you know the regular forms of verbs for example, so regular past tenses such as 'jumped' are often defined with 'jump', or not in the dictionary at all.

• Therefore, if a verb form such as a past participle is not listed, take off the '_d' or '_ed' at the end. If the word is an adjective, take off the ending (such as '_y', '_ing' or '_ed'), then look. For plural nouns, take off the '_s' or '_es'. For adverbs, take off the '_ly'.

• If this is difficult or time-consuming for you, use an Internet or CD-ROM dictionary instead of a book. When you find the word, put it in your personal dictionary / vocabulary book as a separate entry, so you can find it later.

Alphabetical Order

This is the alphabetical order of English. Learn it and learn the number for each letter and you will be able to find words faster. If you want to test your alphabet skills, click here .

Click here for some cards you can cut out and fold over in the middle to make cards with letters on the one side and numbers on the other. Here is an example:

Fold here

Use the cards to test yourself like this:

1. Put the cards in random order.
2. Hold all the card in one hand.
3. Look at the letter on the top card and try to say the number as fast as possible.
4. If you get it right, put down the card.
5. If you get it wrong, put the card in the middle of the other cards in your hand, so that you will see it again soon.
6. Continue steps 1 to 5 until there are no more cards in your hand and you have put down all the cards.

Tip: If the word has a hyphen in the middle, ignore it when you are searching in alphabetical order, so 2 words with a hyphen in the middle (e.g. 'prize-giving') are treated the same as one word (e.g. 'prizegiving'). Thus prize-giving is after 'prize-fighter'.

Cards: