Elementary Reading Website Links

Here are the links to the websites we talked about in class today.

First, here is a link to the Cambridge online dictionary:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/essential-british-english/

English Test Store has 35 reading tests. Do one every day:
http://englishteststore.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33&Itemid=31

News In Levels has easy to read news stories every week. Listen to the recording and try and write the first few sentences. Check your spelling and sentences with the reading text. Do one every week:
http://www.newsinlevels.com/

There are lots of graded readers in the Study Centre. Read one every week and complete the activities:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=graded%20readers%20level%202&sprefix=graded+readers+level+2%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Agraded%20readers%20level%202

Vocabulary and Dictionaries

It's a very good idea to buy a dictionary to help you build your vocabulary. Many students use translators, but the context of the word (for example, the other words in the sentence) can change the meaning. It is much better to use an English dictionary: it will give you a sentence so you can see how the word is used; it will tell you what kind of word it is (noun, adjective etc); and will also give you the pronunciation of the word.

Here is a link to the FREE Cambridge Online Dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/essential-british-english/
Try and use the dictionary when you see a new word and add the link to your mobile phone. The more you practise with the dictionary, the more useful it will be.

You can read some more about dictionaries here: http://www.kapmanchester.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/its-really-important-that-you-use-good.html

Study skills: using a dictionary

It's really important that you use a good English dictionary to help you to improve your vocabulary. Many students use an electronic translator to translate English words into their own language. However, if you do this, you are only learning half  the language.

A good English-only dictionary will tell you many things more than a translation. A dictionary will:

• tell you what kind of word it is (noun, adjective, verb etc)
• show you what is the plural spelling/ the past tense/ countable or uncountable
• show you how common the word is. The most common words are often in a  different colour
• give you the definition of the word and will give you an example sentence. It's very important for you to see how the word is used in a sentence
• tell you some synonyms of the word (other words that mean the same or similar). You can also find synonyms in a thesaurus
• use pictures to help you understand the word