Use guide words

Key Notes :

Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.

To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.

If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed.

Learn with an example

Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?

afraid – am

1} accept

2} allow

Put the words in alphabetical order.

acceptafraidallowam

Since allow is between the guide words afraid–am, it would be found on that page.

Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?

real – ruby

1} rooster

2} raise

Put the words in alphabetical order.

raiserealroosterruby

Since rooster is between the guide words real–ruby, it would be found on that page.

Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?

narrow – nickel

1} next

2} nothing

Put the words in alphabetical order.

narrownextnickelnothing

Since next is between the guide words narrow–nickel, it would be found on that page.

let’s practice!