Learn and Use English Effectively with the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 3rd Edition
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 3rd Edition: A Review
If you are looking for a dictionary that can help you learn and use English effectively, you might want to consider the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 3rd Edition (LDOCE). This dictionary is designed for upper intermediate to advanced learners of English, and it offers clear definitions, examples, and information that can enhance your language skills. In this article, we will review the LDOCE and see what it has to offer, how to use it properly, and who can benefit from it.
longman dictionary of contemporary english 3rd edition
What is the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English?
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English is a comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary that covers both British and American English. It is based on the analysis of a large corpus of spoken and written texts, which means that it reflects how people actually use English in real life. The LDOCE aims to help learners understand and produce natural and accurate English, by providing clear definitions, examples, and information on usage, frequency, grammar, pronunciation, collocations, idioms, synonyms, antonyms, and more.
The history and features of the LDOCE
The first edition of the LDOCE was published in 1978, and it was one of the first dictionaries to use a limited defining vocabulary of about 2000 words. This means that all the definitions are written using simple and common words that learners can easily understand. The LDOCE also introduced signposts, which are subheadings that divide the definitions into different meanings or uses of a word. This helps learners find the right meaning quickly and easily.
The third edition of the LDOCE was published in 1995, and it included several new features that made it even more useful and user-friendly. Some of these features are:
Over 80,000 entries, covering both British and American English
Over 200 usage topics, which explain common words and phrases in different contexts
24 pages of colored illustrations, which show various topics such as animals, food, sports, etc.
3000 popular keywords, which are marked with a symbol in the margin. These are the most frequent words in spoken and written English, and they are important for learners to know.
20 language notes, which provide extra information on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, etc.
Over 150 new usage frequency tables, which show how often different words or phrases are used in spoken or written English, or in British or American English.
A new IELTS vocabulary table, which lists words that are useful for taking the International English Language Testing System exam.
An optical disc (CD-ROM), which contains additional contents not found in the printed dictionary. These include sound recordings of all the words and examples, interactive exercises, games, quizzes, etc.
The benefits and drawbacks of using the LDOCE
The LDOCE is a great dictionary for learners who want to improve their English skills, especially at the upper intermediate to advanced level. Some of the benefits of using the LDOCE are:
It provides clear and simple definitions, using a limited vocabulary that learners can easily understand.
It gives authentic and natural examples, taken from real texts and speech. These show how words and phrases are used in context, and help learners avoid mistakes and misunderstandings.
It offers a lot of information on usage, frequency, grammar, pronunciation, collocations, idioms, synonyms, antonyms, etc. These help learners choose the right word or phrase for the right situation, and expand their vocabulary and knowledge of the language.
It has a lot of visual aids, such as illustrations, tables, graphs, etc. These make the dictionary more attractive and engaging, and help learners remember the words and concepts better.
It has a lot of interactive features, such as exercises, games, quizzes, etc. These make the dictionary more fun and interactive, and help learners practice and test their skills.
However, the LDOCE also has some drawbacks that learners should be aware of. Some of these are:
It is a large and heavy dictionary, which can be inconvenient to carry around or use in some situations.
It is not very cheap, especially if you want to buy both the printed dictionary and the optical disc.
It is not very up-to-date, as it was published in 1995. This means that it may not include some new words or meanings that have emerged since then.
It is not very comprehensive, as it focuses on the most common and important words and phrases. This means that it may not include some rare or specialized words or phrases that learners may encounter or need.
How to use the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English effectively?
The LDOCE is a valuable resource for learners who want to improve their English skills, but it is not enough to just look up words or phrases in it. Learners need to use the LDOCE effectively, by following some tips and tricks that can help them get the most out of it. Here are some of them:
Tips and tricks for finding the right word or phrase
Use the signposts to find the right meaning or use of a word or phrase quickly and easily. For example, if you look up the word "book", you will see signposts such as "noun 1", "noun 2", "verb 1", "verb 2", etc. These show you the different meanings or uses of "book" as a noun or a verb.
Use the usage topics to find common words and phrases related to a specific topic or situation. For example, if you look up the word "house", you will see a usage topic called "House". This shows you words and phrases related to house such as "door", "window", "roof", "furniture", etc.
Use the frequency tables to find out how often different words or phrases are used in spoken or written English, or in British or American English. For example, if you look up the word "car", you will see a frequency table that shows you how often "car" is used compared to other words such as "vehicle", "automobile", "motorcar", etc.
Use the keywords to focus on the most important and frequent words in English. For example, if you look up the word "get", you will see a keyword symbol in the margin. This means that "get" is one of the most common words in English, and you should pay attention to its definitions, examples, and information.
Use the synonyms and antonyms to find alternative words with similar or opposite meanings. For example, if you look up the word "happy", you will see synonyms such as "glad", "pleased", "delighted", etc., and antonyms such as "sad", "unhappy", "miserable", etc.
Examples and exercises to practice your vocabulary and grammar
Read and listen to the examples carefully, and try to understand how they illustrate the meaning and use of a word or phrase. For example, if you look up the word "book", you will see examples such as "She's reading a book about dinosaurs.", "He booked a table at a restaurant.", etc. These show you how "book" can be used as a noun or a verb in different sentences.
Use the interactive exercises, games, and quizzes on the optical disc to practice and test your vocabulary and grammar skills. For example, you can play a crossword puzzle, a word search, a matching game, etc., using the words and phrases from the dictionary.
Use the Longman Active Study Dictionary (LASD) to supplement your learning with the LDOCE. The LASD is a smaller and simpler dictionary that focuses on the most essential words and phrases for beginners and intermediate learners. It also has more exercises and activities to help you learn and remember the words and phrases better.
Resources and tools to enhance your learning experience
Use the language notes to learn more about the English language and its rules, conventions, variations, etc. For example, you can find language notes on topics such as spelling, punctuation, word formation, verb patterns, etc.
Use the IELTS vocabulary table to prepare for the International English Language Testing System exam. This table lists words that are useful for taking the exam, and shows you their definitions, examples, synonyms, antonyms, collocations, etc.
Use the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online (LDOCE Online) to access the dictionary on the internet. This online version of the dictionary has all the contents of the printed dictionary and the optical disc, plus some extra features such as audio pronunciations, videos, animations, etc.
Use the Longman Corpus Network (LCN) to explore more texts and speech from various sources and genres. The LCN is a collection of millions of words of spoken and written English that are used to create and update the LDOCE. You can search for words or phrases in the LCN and see how they are used in different contexts.
Who should use the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English?
The LDOCE is a dictionary that can benefit anyone who wants to learn and use English effectively. However, it is especially suitable for some groups of people who have specific needs or goals. Here are some of them:
Students and teachers of English as a second or foreign language
The LDOCE is a great dictionary for students and teachers of English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL), as it helps them understand and produce natural and accurate English. Students can use the LDOCE to learn new words and phrases, improve their vocabulary and grammar skills, practice their pronunciation and listening skills, prepare for exams such as IELTS, etc. Teachers can use the LDOCE to plan lessons, create materials, check answers, explain concepts, etc.
Writers and editors who need a reliable and comprehensive reference
The LDOCE is a great dictionary for writers and editors who need a reliable and comprehensive reference for their work. Writers can use the LDOCE to find the right word or phrase for their purpose, check spelling, grammar, usage, frequency, etc., avoid repetition or ambiguity, enrich their style and tone, etc. Editors can use the LDOCE to check accuracy, consistency, clarity, coherence, etc., of texts written by others.
Speakers and listeners who want to improve their communication skills
The LDOCE is a great dictionary for speakers and listeners who want to improve their communication skills in English. Speakers can use the LDOCE to find suitable words or phrases for different situations or audiences, express their ideas clearly and persuasively, avoid misunderstandings or confusion, etc. Listeners can use the LDOCE to understand what others are saying or writing better, catch nuances or implications, ask questions or give feedbacks effectively, etc.
Conclusion
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 3rd Edition is a comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary that covers both British and American English. It is based on the analysis of a large corpus of spoken and written texts, which means that it reflects how people actually use English in real life. The LDOCE aims to help learners understand and produce natural and accurate English by providing clear definitions examples information on usage frequency grammar pronunciation collocations idioms synonyms antonyms etc.
The LDOCE has many features that make it useful and user-friendly such as signposts usage topics illustrations keywords language notes frequency tables IELTS vocabulary table optical disc etc. However it also has some drawbacks such as size price currency completeness etc. To use the LDOCE effectively learners need to follow some tips and tricks such as using the signposts usage topics frequency tables keywords synonyms antonyms etc. reading and listening to the examples carefully using the optical disc to practice and test their skills using the LASD to supplement their learning etc. They can also use some resources and tools to enhance their learning experience such as the language notes IELTS vocabulary table LDOCE Online LCN etc.
The LDOCE is a dictionary that can benefit anyone who wants to learn and use English effectively but it is especially suitable for some groups of people who have specific needs or goals such as students and teachers of ESL/EFL writers and editors speakers and listeners etc. The LDOCE is a valuable resource for learners who want to improve their English skills especially at the upper intermediate to advanced level.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the LDOCE:
What is the difference between the LDOCE and other dictionaries?
The LDOCE is different from other dictionaries in several ways. For example, it uses a limited defining vocabulary of about 2000 words, which makes the definitions easy to understand. It also uses signposts, which divide the definitions into different meanings or uses of a word. It also provides a lot of information on usage, frequency, grammar, pronunciation, collocations, idioms, synonyms, antonyms, etc., which help learners choose the right word or phrase for the right situation. It also has a lot of visual aids, such as illustrations, tables, graphs, etc., which make the dictionary more attractive and engaging. It also has a lot of interactive features, such as exercises, games, quizzes, etc., which make the dictionary more fun and interactive.
How can I access the LDOCE online?
You can access the LDOCE online by visiting the website https://www.ldoceonline.com/. This online version of the dictionary has all the contents of the printed dictionary and the optical disc, plus some extra features such as audio pronunciations, videos, animations, etc. You can also download an app for your smartphone or tablet, which allows you to access the dictionary offline.
How can I buy the LDOCE?
You can buy the LDOCE from various online or offline retailers, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. You can also buy it directly from the publisher's website https://www.longman.com/. The price may vary depending on the retailer and the edition. The printed dictionary and the optical disc are sold separately or together as a package.
How can I update the LDOCE?
You can update the LDOCE by checking for new editions or versions of the dictionary. The latest edition of the LDOCE is the 6th edition, which was published in 2014. This edition has some new features such as integrated collocations dictionary, integrated thesaurus, grammar notes, topic activator, writing assistant, etc. You can also update the LDOCE by using the online version or the app, which may have more recent contents and features than the printed version or the optical disc.
How can I contact the LDOCE team?
You can contact the LDOCE team by sending an email to ldoce@pearson.com. You can also follow them on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. You can also visit their website https://www.longman.com/ for more information and support.
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