Use a good English dictionary

You need a good English dictionary ~ An English dictionary is the most important thing that you will need when learning English. Successful English learners use their dictionaries all the time — that’s how they learn to use new words.

How to buy a good English dictionary:

1. It has to be an English-English dictionary.
2. It must give phonetic transcriptions (pronunciations) for every word.
3. It must give example sentences for every word.
4. It should be a software dictionary.

Example sentences: more important than definitions ~ If you want to improve your speaking/writing ability, read the example sentences in your dictionary. They show you how to use a word and they program your brain with correct English.

Dictionary reviews

• Comparative review of dictionaries for English learners (2009) ~ Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Collins COBUILD Advanced Dictionary (5th and 6th edition), Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, and Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Which one is best?
• Comparative review of English pronunciation dictionaries (2010) ~ I compare the Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary and the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary.
• Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary (2001–2009) with CD-ROM
• Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (17th edition) with CD-ROM

Also read: Why publishers are unable to develop a really good software dictionary