Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-1-using-a-dictionary [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Primary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary.md) › [English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english.md) › [English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum.md) › Using a Dictionary # Using a Dictionary English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 2.10.1 ## Using a Dictionary for Spellings Using a dictionary helps us check our spellings. Let's look at how you can use the first 2 or 3 letters of a word to check if it is spelt correctly... ### Why do we use a dictionary? ![Why do we use a dictionary?](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/8.3.2%20Identifying%20ions%202/dictionary-1619740_640-min.jpg) - In our writing, we sometimes find words we are not confident at spelling. It is important that we use a dictionary to help us. - The first few letters of the word will help us begin to find it. ### 1) Pick a word ![1) Pick a word](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/8c10be82-6383-4d13-9da6-8bc7c017d735/detect-magnifying.jpg) - Imagine you are looking up the word '__disguised__' to see if you have spelt it correctly. ### 2) Look up '__d__' ![2) Look up '__d__'](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/411f24f7-a4ba-498c-a89e-afec75dc364b/letter-d-.jpg) ### 2) Look up '__di__' ![2) Look up '__di__'](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/93dde962-96db-4eb7-ab9a-07b87778845e/letter-i.jpg) ### 3) Look up '__dis__' ![3) Look up '__dis__'](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/937b49cb-03c0-453a-aa45-267954e168fe/s-man-.jpg) ### 4) Find '__disguised__'! ![4) Find '__disguised__'!](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/f36b7b79-ea0a-4679-9b4c-3e3dee2d7628/shutterstock_151790942.jpg) - By now, you should be able to find the word 'disguised'. But if you cannot find it just yet, don't worry! You can look up the fourth or fifth letter if that helps you. - Once you have found the word, you can check its spelling! ## Test yourself on Using a Dictionary - What do we use dictionaries for? - What do we use to help us check our spellings? - Checking the Spelling of 'Animal' in a Dictionary - Checking the Spelling of 'Dentist' in a Dictionary - Checking the Spelling of 'Hippopotamus' in a Dictionary [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/55380d04-654f-4809-93bc-7a6bae8dd341/section/4e1f42ca-62a9-4186-af78-4813e87e1d4c/session) - Previous topic: [2.9.2 Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-2-using-apostrophes-with-irregular-plurals.md) - Next topic: [2.10.2 End of Topic Test - Apostrophes & Dictionaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-2-end-of-topic-test-apostrophes-and-dictionaries.md) ## English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum contents ### 1 Reading - 1.1 Root Words - [1.1.1 Understanding New Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-1-understanding-new-words.md) - [1.1.2 Exception Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-2-exception-words.md) - 1.2 Prefixes - [1.2.1 'Anti-' & 'Auto-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-1-anti-and-auto.md) - [1.2.2 Not & 'Inter-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-2-not-and-inter.md) - [1.2.3 'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-3-mis-dis-and-re.md) - [1.2.4 'Sub-' & 'Super-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-4-sub-and-super.md) - [1.2.5 End of Topic Test - Root Words & Prefixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-5-end-of-topic-test-root-words-and-prefixes.md) - 1.3 Suffixes - [1.3.1 Vowel Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-1-vowel-suffixes.md) - [1.3.2 Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-2-suffixes-ous.md) - [1.3.3 Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-3-rules-for-suffixes-ous.md) - [1.3.4 Testing - Rules for Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-4-testing-rules-for-suffixes.md) - [1.3.5 Suffixes: '-ly'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-5-suffixes-ly.md) - [1.3.6 Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-6-suffixes-ation.md) - [1.3.7 Rules for Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-7-rules-for-suffixes-ation.md) - [1.3.8 Spelling: '-tion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-8-spelling-tion-endings.md) - [1.3.9 Spelling: '-sion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-9-spelling-sion-endings.md) - [1.3.10 Spelling: '-ssion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-10-spelling-ssion-endings.md) - [1.3.11 Spelling: '-cian' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-11-spelling-cian-endings.md) - [1.3.12 End of Topic Test - Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-12-end-of-topic-test-suffixes.md) ### 2 Writing - 2.1 Composition - [2.1.1 Effective Writing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-1-effective-writing.md) - [2.1.2 Planning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-2-planning.md) - [2.1.3 Drafting](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-3-drafting.md) - [2.1.4 Editing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-4-editing.md) - [2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Writing Composition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-5-end-of-topic-test-writing-composition.md) - 2.2 Conjunctions - [2.2.1 Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-1-simple-sentences-and-compound-sentences.md) - [2.2.2 Complex Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-2-complex-sentences.md) - [2.2.3 Coordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-3-coordinating-conjunctions.md) - [2.2.4 Subordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-4-subordinating-conjunctions.md) - [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-conjunctions.md) - 2.3 Present Perfect Tense - [2.3.1 Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-1-present-perfect-tense.md) - [2.3.2 Uses of the Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-2-uses-of-the-present-perfect-tense.md) - 2.4 Nouns - [2.4.1 Using Nouns & Pronouns Properly](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-1-using-nouns-and-pronouns-properly.md) - [2.4.2 End of Topic Test - Present Perfect & Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-2-end-of-topic-test-present-perfect-and-nouns.md) - 2.5 Fronted Adverbials - [2.5.1 Saying Where, When & How Often](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-1-saying-where-when-and-how-often.md) - [2.5.2 Saying How & Why](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-2-saying-how-and-why.md) - [2.5.3 Using Commas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-3-using-commas.md) - 2.6 Direct Speech - [2.6.1 Direct Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-1-direct-speech.md) - [2.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fronted Adverbials & Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-2-end-of-topic-test-fronted-adverbials-and-speech.md) - 2.7 Homophones - [2.7.1 Accept & Except](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-1-accept-and-except.md) - [2.7.2 Affect & Effect](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-2-affect-and-effect.md) - [2.7.3 Ball & Bawl](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-3-ball-and-bawl.md) - [2.7.4 Berry & Bury](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-4-berry-and-bury.md) - [2.7.5 Brake & Break](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-5-brake-and-break.md) - [2.7.6 Fair & Fare](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-6-fair-and-fare.md) - [2.7.7 Grate & Great](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-7-grate-and-great.md) - [2.7.8 Groan & Grown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-8-groan-and-grown.md) - [2.7.9 Hear & Here](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-9-hear-and-here.md) - [2.7.10 Heal, Heel & He'll](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-10-heal-heel-and-hell.md) - [2.7.11 Knot & Not](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-11-knot-and-not.md) - [2.7.12 Mail & Male](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-12-mail-and-male.md) - [2.7.13 Main & Mane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-13-main-and-mane.md) - [2.7.14 Meat & Meet](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-14-meat-and-meet.md) - [2.7.15 Medal & Meddle](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-15-medal-and-meddle.md) - [2.7.16 Missed & Mist](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-16-missed-and-mist.md) - [2.7.17 Peace & Piece](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-17-peace-and-piece.md) - [2.7.18 Plain & Plane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-18-plain-and-plane.md) - [2.7.19 Rain & Reign & Rein](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-19-rain-and-reign-and-rein.md) - [2.7.20 Scene & Seen](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-20-scene-and-seen.md) - [2.7.21 Weather & Whether](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-21-weather-and-whether.md) - [2.7.22 Whose & Who's](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-22-whose-and-whos.md) - [2.7.23 End of Topic Test - Homophones](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-23-end-of-topic-test-homophones.md) - 2.8 Spelling Rules - [2.8.1 Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-1-hard-u-and-i-sounds.md) - [2.8.2 Words Ending in '-Sure', '-Mure' & '-Sion'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-2-words-ending-in-sure-mure-and-sion.md) - [2.8.3 'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-3-ei-eigh-and-ey-spellings.md) - [2.8.4 Words Ending in 'G' & 'K' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-4-words-ending-in-g-and-k-sounds.md) - [2.8.5 Spelling Words with 'Ch' & 'Sc'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-5-spelling-words-with-ch-and-sc.md) - [2.8.6 Silent Letters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-6-silent-letters.md) - [2.8.7 End of Topic Test - Spelling Rules](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-7-end-of-topic-test-spelling-rules.md) - 2.9 Using Apostrophes - [2.9.1 Using Apostrophes with Regular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-1-using-apostrophes-with-regular-plurals.md) - [2.9.2 Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-2-using-apostrophes-with-irregular-plurals.md) - 2.10 Using a Dictionary - [2.10.1 Using a Dictionary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-1-using-a-dictionary.md) - [2.10.2 End of Topic Test - Apostrophes & Dictionaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-2-end-of-topic-test-apostrophes-and-dictionaries.md)