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Types of Dictionary

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Find out which kind of dictionary is suitable for you. Please choose an option:

Books CD-ROMS Internet
Advantages
  • Familiarity
  • Ownership
  • Fast retrieval
  • Lots of information
  • Light-weight
  • Small size
  • Some contain pronunciation files
  • Some contain English learning materials
  • Some contain lots of pictures
  • Free
  • Wild-card searching
Disadvantages
  • Large size
  • Slow retrieval
  • Computer needed
  • Slower retrieval process if users are computer dummies
  • Some are not well-designed
  • Computer needed
  • Internet connection needed
  • Slow internet speed
  • Free ones often have advertising

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Books

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

CD-ROMs

You can buy dictionaries on CD-ROM.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Here is a screen shot from the Longman Interactive CD-ROM dictionary, showing a definition, a sound recording, a picture and some grammatical information.

Screen-shot of the Longman CD-ROM dictionary

Internet

You can find some dictionaries on the Internet, click here for some examples.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Here is a screen-shot of the Virtual Language Centre's on-line lexicon:

Screen-shot of the Virtual Language Centre's on-line lexicon

General Dictionaries

These are normal dictionaries that give you information about the most common words in English. However, new words are often not included in these dictionaries until they become very common. Therefore you should look for new fashionable words and new technical words (especially computer terms) in a dictionary of slang or informal expressions or in a technical dictionary.

Here are some of CILL's general dictionaries:

General Dictionaries

Specialised Dictionaries

These are dictionaries with words useful for special groups of people, for example:

Here is a photo of some of these specialised dictionaries:

Photo of some specialist dictionaries