How to use Collins Cobuild?

Mohammed Asad Khan   Friday, October 18, 2002, 23:33 GMT
This dictionary puts all stuffs in one entry whether it's a noun or a verb or what else. It shows you everything in one entry.

What makes me irriate is how to add example sentences into a Sm collection when it gives you 6-7 definitions of a word(( such as verb, noun, adj, adv and phrases ) along with several examples.

I was reading a news article and came across a complex word and that was stake. This dictionary tells you extra information like it is used as a verb or adjective and so on and so forth.

In short, I wanna add a word to my collection, I read the word as a verb, Should I select example sentences/a definition only where the word is used as a verb and try to skip other definitions and example sentences for my collection. And go on for searching other words.



Tom   Saturday, October 19, 2002, 22:58 GMT
If you're getting "information overload" (i.e. adding every single meaning is irritating for you), I suggest you just add the one meaning you encountered in the book. Otherwise, it doesn't hurt to add the other meanings as well. It all depends on your state of mind. :-)
Nobuo Saito   Sunday, October 20, 2002, 00:51 GMT
I don't like Collins Cobuild. Its discrption and definitions of words somehow irritate me. Its style is different from those of traditional dictinaries. They are indirect. Maybe it's a matter of habit, though.
Mohammed Asad Khan   Sunday, October 20, 2002, 01:40 GMT
Well, I didn't mean like that. I study all definitions and example sentences, whenever I look up a word. Apart from, my policy is not to add more than 15 example sentences in a day. And you see, only each word contains around 15 example sentences if we consider all definitions.


Considering that I'd be able to add only one word in a day. And you see, when I read a news article or other reading stuffs, I get many more complex words. They're also waiting in a row, And you see, I'd read other materials next day and find out more complex words. They'd also wait in another row. And you see, I can not afford a bunch of words.


I agree with you. It all depends on my state of mind.