Jan
28
Use Google as a dictionary
Filed Under Google, Internet, language | Leave a Comment
There are plenty of Web-based dictionaries out there, but not all of them give you the desired results. What if the dictionary you’re looking up into doesn’t have a word you want? Here comes Google to the rescue.
The “define” command turns Google into a meta dictionary to bring you definitions for your word from dictionaries and glossaries from the Web. To use this feature, just type define:[your_word] in the search box. No space after “:”. Replace “[your word]” with your word, of course. This brings up results in many languages other than English.
Look at this example below.
Jan
24
Learn English grammar terms the easy way
Filed Under language | Leave a Comment
What the heck is a synecdoche? To use an old example, the word “hands” in “all hands on deck!” is a synecdoche; “a part of something substituted for the whole.”
And what’s an onomatopoeia? Words that imitate sounds, like “bang,” “splash,” or “thud”.
What’s a thrombin inhibitor? OK, that’s not a grammar term, but the Glossary of English Grammar Terms is gem of a resource for learners. It’s a small program - help file, actually - that explains all the scary grammar stuff in easy English. The definitions range from the basic terms to pretty advanced ones. Read more
