Network Concise 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.
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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? ________
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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
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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
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Activity 6 • Using ‘shortcuts’ to find the right meaning
When a word has many different meanings, it can sometimes be difficult to find the one
you are looking for in the dictionary. The Oxford Wordpower Dictionary has 'shortcuts'
at many of the longer entries. Shortcuts give a short description of a meaning, or group
of meanings. You can use them to help you find your way to the right definition more
quickly.
Look up bar (noun) in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary. Match the different
meanings of bar with the shortcuts where they appear in the dictionary.
1 prison bars
2 a bar of gold
3 a few bars of a song
4 a sandwich bar
5 a bar to success
a for drinks/food
b on a window
c soap/chocolate
d that prevents you
e in music
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Activity 7 • Finding irregular verbs
With most English verbs, you make the past tense and the past participle by adding the
ending -ed. However, many English verbs do not follow this rule. The Oxford Wordpower
Dictionary shows the past tense (pt) and past participle (pp) forms of these irregular
verbs at the beginning of the entry.
Write the missing form of the verb. Look up the words in bold in the Oxford
Wordpower Dictionary and use the information in the main entry for the verb to help
you.
1 The past tense is hurt. The past participle is ________.
2 The past tense is oversaw. The past participle is ________.
3 The past participle is sprung. The past tense is ________.
4 The past participle is worn. The past tense is ________.
Activity 8 • Finding opposites with prefixes
Some words have the opposite meaning if you add a prefix (like un- or in-) to them. The
Oxford Wordpower Dictionary shows opposites in a section at the end of the entry,
marked with the OPP symbol.
Write a prefix in the gap to make the opposite of the word in bold. Check your
answers by looking up the word in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary.
1 Police said the violence at the demonstration was totally ____ acceptable.
2 Isn't it rather ____ convenient having the fridge in the living room?
3 He agreed that it was an ____ perfect solution to the problem.
4 Your evidence is ____ relevant to the case.
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Activity 9 • Finding phrasal verbs
The Oxford Wordpower Dictionary shows phrasal verbs in a section at the end of the
entry for a verb, marked with the PHR V symbol.
Find look (verb) in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary and go to the part of the entry
where phrasal verbs are listed. Use the information there to help you choose the right
word to complete the sentences.
1 The neighbour looked ____ our cats while we were on holiday.
a after
b into
c through
d up
2 I usually look ____ my emails when I arrive at work.
a after
b into
c through
d up
3 I always look ____ to the summer holidays.
a forward
b on
c out
d round
4 We spent all afternoon looking ____ the museum.
a forward
b on
c out
d round
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Activity 10 • Finding the right idiom
The Oxford Wordpower Dictionary shows idioms in a section at the end of the entry for
a word, marked with the IDM symbol.
Look up the words in bold in the Oxford Wordpower Dictionary and go to the part of
the entry where idioms are listed. Use the information there to help you choose the
right word to complete the sentences.
1 The nearest town is about 10 km away, as the crow __________.
a flies
b goes
c travels
d walks
2 Don't count your chickens before they're ____________.
a cooked
b hatched
c here
d ready
3 I'll go to the post office on my way to the shops, so I can kill two birds with one
____________.
a attack
b bullet
c shot
d stone
4 I have two bank accounts because I don't like to put all my _________ in one basket.
a birds
b chickens
c eggs
d money
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