What is in each layer?

The Learn These Words First dictionary is arranged in layers to eliminate circular definitions and make the dictionary accessible for beginning-level ESL students:

 

• Lessons 1 and 2 use captioned illustrations to explain essential words (NSM universal linguistic concepts). Translations are given in multiple languages.
• Lessons 3 through 12 build the vocabulary one word at a time. Each word is explained in English, using only words that have already been introduced. Lessons include example sentences and questions to help review new vocabulary.
• The alphabetical index lists the 2000 words in the Longman Defining Vocabulary. Each of these words is defined using only the 360 words from the lessons.
• Using the 2000 words from the layers above, students can read any definition in the Longman English Dictionary Online.

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The problem of circular definitions

Here is an example of a circular definition. The word easy is used to define difficult, and the word difficult is used to define easy:

• difficult = Not easy.
• easy = Not difficult.

Here is another example. If you do not already know any of these words (illness, sick, sickness), you will not get a helpful explanation of what they mean from these circular definitions:

• illness = Sickness of body or mind.
• sick = Suffering from an illness.
• sickness = The condition of being sick.

Most dictionaries contain thousands of circular definitions like these, especially for the most basic words. This may not be a problem for someone who already has a large vocabulary, but circular definitions are frustrating for beginning-level learners.

The Learn These Words First dictionary is structured in a new way to eliminate circular definitions. The 360 words in the lessons are arranged in an order that allows each new word to be explained using only words that were explained earlier in the lessons. The rest of the words in the dictionary are defined using only the 360 words from the lessons. A computer program was used to check that the lessons and definitions contain no circular definitions.

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British spelling and American spelling

For some words, the British spelling is different from the American spelling.

The Learn These Words First dictionary uses British spellings, but headwords are listed with both spellings: first the British spelling, followed by the American spelling in parentheses.

Here are some examples of headwords where the British and American spellings differ:

• colour, (color).
• centre, (center).
• metre, (meter).

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Regular and irregular inflections

In the Learn These Words First lessons, the regular and irregular inflections of each headword are listed:

• Nouns: singular, plural.
• Verbs: singular (1st, 2nd, 3rd person), plural, infinitive, present participle, simple past, past participle.

In the alphabetical dictionary section, only the base word and its irregular inflections are listed. Regular inflections are not shown and are formed from the base word like this:

• Adding "-s" or "-es" to make a noun plural or a verb 3rd-person singular.
• Adding "-ing" to form a verb's present participle.
• Adding "-ed" to form a verb's past tense or past participle.
• Sometimes changing the final "y" to "i" before an inflected ending.
• Sometimes dropping the final "e" or "y" before an inflected ending.
• Sometimes doubling the final consonant before an inflected ending.

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Find words quickly: Word Finding Tool

You can use the Word Finding Tool to help you find words and learn what they mean.

Using this tool is easy:

• Go to the Word Finding Tool.
• Type or paste your words or sentences in the box.
• Then click the "Find These Words" button.

Your words will be listed in three groups:

• The black words can be found in the lessons. (Click a word to go to its definition or lesson.)
• The blue words are explained in this dictionary. (Click a word to go to its definition.)
• You can search for the red words in another dictionary. (Click a word to look it up in the Longman English Dictionary Online.)

(Note that each word you click opens in a new window. In some mobile browsers, you may need to press and hold the word and then click "Open link in new window.")

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Find words quickly: Lessons and Words menu

On the main contents page of Learn These Words First, click the blue header at the top of the page to show the Lessons and Words menu. You can use this menu to move quickly to different sections in the table of contents.

• Lessons: Click a number to move to that lesson number.
• Words: Click a letter to move to the list of words that start with that letter.

On other pages, you can click the blue header to go back to the contents page.

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Find words quickly: Find on Page

From the main contents page of Learn These Words First, you can find words quickly by using your browser's "Find on Page" command. In many browsers, you can show the "Find" box by pressing the Ctrl+F or Cmd+F keys.

In the "Find" box, type the first several letters of the word you want to find. This will highlight the matching word on the contents page.

Then click the word to go to its definition.

To go back to the contents page, press your browser's "Back" button.

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