Check Your Reference
Unit 4 Β· English for Today β Class 8
Table of Contents π Β· Using a Dictionary π Β· Alphabetical Order π€ Β· Word Meanings π Β· Synonyms & Antonyms π
π― Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, we will be able to:
Main Themes β This unit teaches us how to use reference tools β the table of contents to find topics quickly, and the dictionary to learn spelling, pronunciation, meaning, word class, synonyms and antonyms. We learn alphabetical order and how words are arranged in a dictionary.
A table of contents page from a textbook
β What is this table called? β It is called a table of contents (the contents page).
β Where do you find it? β At the beginning (front) of a book.
β What is at pages vii, xiii, xv? β “To the Instructor” (vii), “To the Student” (xiii), “Acknowledgements” (xv).
β To read about the Hippopotamus, where do you go? β It appears twice: Unit 1, page 16 and Unit 2, page 52.
β What is at page 65? β Extension Activities (Unit 2).
β Where does Unit 2 start and end? β It starts at page 34 (Context Clues) and ends just before Unit 3 begins on page 70.
| Item | What to write |
|---|---|
| Name / title of the page | Contents / Table of Contents |
| Names of column heads | Topic / Title & Page (Number) |
| Number of units | Count all the units listed (e.g. Unit 1, 2, 3β¦) |
| Title of the first unit | Unit 1 β Animals |
| Page where the first unit starts | Page 3 |
| Position of the page numbers | On the right-hand side |
| Position of the chapter titles | On the left-hand side |
π― MCQ β Lesson 1 (Table of Contents)
A sample dictionary page
A dictionary is a collection of words. It lists the words of a language and gives necessary information about them. It tells us about the spelling, the pronunciation, the meaning, and the word class. To make meanings clear, example sentences are given in italics. It also gives the synonyms and antonyms of a word. Words made by adding prefixes and suffixes to the root word are shown too. A verb is always given in the simple present tense, but its past form and past participle are also shown.
β What does a dictionary tell us about a verb? β It gives the verb in its simple present tense, and also shows the past form and past participle.
β Why are example sentences given? β To show how words are used and to make the meaning clear.
β How are new words formed? β By adding prefixes and suffixes to the root word.
β Why are synonyms and antonyms given? β To help us understand the meaning of a word better.
β What do we need a dictionary for? β To find the spelling, pronunciation, meaning and word class of words.
| Column A | β Column B |
|---|---|
| A dictionary shows | how to pronounce a word |
| Prefixes and suffixes | help to make new words |
| A verb word is always given | in its simple present tense |
| Meanings of words are given | in a dictionary |
| A dictionary gives information | about the words of a language |
π― MCQ β Lesson 2 (Using a Dictionary)
Words arranged in alphabetical order
The words in a dictionary are presented in alphabetical order. It follows the order of letters. Words starting with the letter D come before words starting with E; words starting with F follow the words starting with E. Again, words starting with the same letter are arranged one after another in alphabetical order. For example, dark, deep and doctor all start with D β they appear as: dark β deep β doctor. To find words on a page, look at the words at the top of the page (the guide words).
Tip: compare the 2nd letter β sh before si before so before st before su before sw before sy.
π― MCQ β Lesson 3 (Looking Up Words)
One word can have many meanings
A dictionary gives us the meaning or meanings of a word. Example sentences are given to show how words are used and to make the meaning clear. A word may have more than one meaning.
| # | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | not wet, not damp, not sticky | “The river becomes dry during the summer.” |
| 2 | with very little rain | “I hope the weather remains dry during our picnic.” |
| 3 | not interesting; boring | “His speech was quite dry.” |
| Word | Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 |
|---|---|---|
| fit | healthy and strong | to be the right size/shape |
| fitness | state of being healthy | state of being suitable for something |
| fitter | more healthy/suitable (adj.) | a person who fixes equipment (noun) |
| fitting | suitable or right (adj.) | a small fixed part of equipment (noun) |
| fitted | made to follow the body’s shape | built/fixed into a space |
Now make your own example sentences using two meanings of each word.
π― MCQ β Lesson 4 (Meanings of Words)
Same meaning (synonym) vs opposite meaning (antonym)
A synonym is a word that means the same or almost the same as another word. There may be more than one synonym for a word. For example, big & large, and begin & start are synonyms. An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. For example, sorrow & happiness, and right & wrong are antonyms.
| Word | β Synonym |
|---|---|
| idle | lazy / inactive |
| text | passage / writing |
| annoyed | irritated |
| result | outcome |
| goal | aim / target |
| trip | journey / tour |
| valuable | precious |
| return | come back / give back |
| Word | β Antonym |
|---|---|
| profit | loss |
| complete | incomplete |
| strong | weak |
| hard | soft / easy |
| different | same / similar |
| sweet | sour / bitter |
| fair | unfair |
| minor | major |
| A | β Synonym (B) |
|---|---|
| noise | row |
| boring | dull |
| handy | useful |
| mend | fix |
| damage | harm |
| jealous | envious |
| annoy | irritate |
| view | sight |
| A | β Opposite (B) |
|---|---|
| high | low |
| lose | gain |
| refuse | accept |
| temporary | permanent |
| heavy | light |
| add | subtract |
| minor | major |
| indoor | outdoor |
π― MCQ β Lesson 5 (Synonyms & Antonyms)
π Important Word Meanings β All Lessons
| π€ Word / Phrase | π Meaning |
|---|---|
| reference π | A source of information you look at to find facts β e.g. a dictionary or a contents page |
| table of contents π | A list at the front of a book showing the units/topics and their page numbers |
| title π·οΈ | The name or heading of a book, chapter or topic |
| column head π | The heading at the top of a column in a table, e.g. ‘Topic’ or ‘Page’ |
| dictionary π | A book that lists words of a language with their spelling, pronunciation, meaning and word class |
| spelling π‘ | The correct order of the letters that make up a word |
| pronunciation π | The way a word is said or sounded out |
| word class π·οΈ | The grammatical type of a word β noun, verb, adjective, etc. (part of speech) |
| example sentence βοΈ | A sentence showing how a word is used; written in italics in a dictionary |
| prefix β | A group of letters added to the front of a word to make a new word (e.g. dis- in disobey) |
| suffix β | A group of letters added to the end of a word to make a new word (e.g. -ness in fitness) |
| root word π³ | The base word to which prefixes and suffixes are added |
| alphabetical order π | Arranging words by the order of letters of the alphabet β A before B, etc. |
| order ποΈ | A neat, organised arrangement (disposition); the opposite of chaos or jumble |
| follow β‘οΈ | To come after something; to go behind or chase |
| precede β¬ οΈ | To come before something |
| guide words π | The words at the top of a dictionary page that show the first and last word on it |
| meaning π‘ | What a word stands for or signifies |
| synonym π° | A word with the same or almost the same meaning as another (big = large) |
| antonym βοΈ | A word with the opposite meaning to another (right β wrong) |
| idle π΄ | Lazy or inactive; not working or being used |
| valuable π | Worth a lot; precious or important |
| handy π οΈ | Useful and convenient; easy to use |
| mend π§ | To repair or fix something that is broken |
| jealous π | Feeling envious of what someone else has |
| temporary β³ | Lasting only for a short time; not permanent |
πΊοΈ Unit Summary β At a Glance
π L1 β Table of Contents β A contents page sits at the front of a book and lists units, topics and page numbers. Titles go on the left, page numbers on the right. It helps you find a topic quickly without searching the whole book.
π L2 β Using a Dictionary β A dictionary is a collection of words. It gives spelling, pronunciation, meaning and word class. Example sentences (in italics) show usage; synonyms, antonyms, prefixes and suffixes are also shown.
π€ L3 β Looking Up Words β Words are arranged in alphabetical order. Same-first-letter words are sorted by their next letter. Guide words at the top of each page help you find words fast.
π L4 β Meanings of Words β A word may have more than one meaning. Example sentences make meanings clear, and context tells us which meaning fits (e.g. ‘dry’ has 3 meanings).
π L5 β Synonyms & Antonyms β A synonym has the same/similar meaning (big = large). An antonym has the opposite meaning (right β wrong). Both help us understand words better.
π Fun Card β Flashcards
Tap a card to flip it and see the meaning! Swipe or scroll to see all cards.
π Scroll right to see more cards Β· Tap any card to flip it!
π§ FunCheck β Vocabulary Challenge!
Test your word power! 10 questions on new vocabulary from Unit 4.