Dictionary Guide Words for Kids: Find Any Word Fast (Grade 3 and 4 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. A dictionary has thousands of words. How do you find the one you need without reading every page? You use guide words! They are a shortcut that every good word hunter knows.

Guide words are the two words printed at the top of a dictionary page. The guide word on the left is the first entry on the page. The guide word on the right is the last entry.

Every word on the page comes between the guide words in ABC order. So if a word comes after the first guide word and before the last guide word, it belongs on that page.

Let's test the word card. The guide words are camp and cave. All three start with c a. Look at the third letter. Camp has m, card has r, cave has v. M, r, v. Card fits!

Now try cub with the same guide words. The second letter of cub is u, but camp and cave both have a. U comes after a, so cub comes after cave. Cub is on a later page.

Here is how to use guide words fast. Open the dictionary near the right letter. Glance only at the guide words as you flip. Stop when your word fits between them, then scan down the page.

Now it's your turn. The guide words are plant and pond. Which word is on this page, pig or pole? Pause and try. Pole! It comes after plant because o is after l, and before pond because l is before n.

Great job! Guide words show the first and last words on a dictionary page. If your word falls between them in ABC order, you found the right page. Practice dictionary guide words in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!