Page 5 Using a Thesaurus

Synonyms



Repeated key words throughout your essay are another way of providing effective transitions.
By using synonyms, you keep the reader's interest.

The key word in this body paragraph is private.

In the early days of the Internet, privacy meant going online with nobody else in the room. These days, your local Internet provider records every site you visit, even if you have set your browser to its " private" mode.

Imagine a few strangers peering over your shoulder, taking notes as you surf the web, with vague promises of confidentiality, and you have a realistic picture of how anyone - Internet providers, the government, hackers - can conceal clandestine tracking. Using a VPN (virtual, private network) allows you to browse truly alone.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/amadoudiallo/2014/03/07/want-privacy-on-the-internet-then-you-need-a-vpn/

Thesaurus

A thesaurus is a valuable tool for finding precise words or synonyms.


Synonyms are words which have similar meanings.

Antonyms are words which have opposite meanings.


Concrete Words

A thesaurus also enables you to find concrete words.

Concrete words are specific and refer to an image you can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste.


"The victim was killed with a tool", doesn't give much information.

"The victim was shot five times with a semi-automatic handgun at 8:00 p.m." is much more specific because it describes who, what, when, and how.


Example

 

Milton careened in the park.
 

Milton hobbled in the park.

Choosing a precise word, such as careened or hobbled communicates more clearly to the reader how the walking was done.

Sample Web

 


ADLC Created image

In Figure 3 synonyms are organized into a web chart. The synonyms are colour-coded into categories according to their meanings.

For a more precise description of walked consider pranced, sidled, slid, stumbled, staggered, swaggered, strode, limped, hobbled, danced, sauntered....



Read about using a thesaurus on pages 321-323 of ResourceLines 7/8.



Self-Assessment 

Click here to check your ability to use a thesaurus. 



  Please contact your teacher if you have questions.