What is a definition?
A definition tells us what a word means. Sometimes you need to say what group the thing belongs to and what makes it different from the other things of the same group. For example:
To give definitions we can use words or expressions like:
1. ... i s …
2. ... can be defined as …
3. ... refers to …
4. ... is concerned with …
5. ... means …
6. ... can be described as …
7. ... studies …
8. ... deals with …
A. What are the verbs/verb phrases used in the following definitions?
1. Halloween is a time when American kids wear costumes and go trick or treating.
2. Democracy can be defined as simply as majority rule.
3. Gender inequality refers to the obvious or hidden disparity between individuals due to gender.
4. Zoology is concerned with animal structure and life.
5. Humor means the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing, comical, incongruous, or absurd.
2. Democracy can be defined as simply as majority rule.
3. Gender inequality refers to the obvious or hidden disparity between individuals due to gender.
4. Zoology is concerned with animal structure and life.
5. Humor means the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing, comical, incongruous, or absurd.
KEY: 1. is, 2. can be defined as, 3. refers to, 4. is concerned with, 5. means
B: Match each word with its definition:
1. Sustainable development
2. Biology 3. Freedom 4. A Citizen 5. Sexism 6. Anthropology 7. Brain Drain 8. Technology |
a. studies Man in all his aspects, including his customs and cultures.
b. refers to the application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks. c. is a form of discrimination based on gender. d. can be defined as the right of enjoying all of the privileges of membership or citizenship. e. refers to the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. f. studies the living organisms. g. means the emigration of skilled and educated individuals to developed nations. h. can be described as a member of a group or community who has rights and responsibilities. |
KEY: 1. e, 2. f, 3. d, 4. h, 5. c, 6. a, 7. g, 8. b.
C. Find the words whose definitions are given bellow:
1. _________________________ is a place where people stay when they're on holiday.
2. _________________________ is a person whose job is to teach students.
3. _________________________ refer to two or more words that are related and which have a specific meaning.
4. _________________________ is defined as all the rules of language that help us make correct sentences.
5. _________________________ is an animal which lives in Australia and carries its babies in a pouch.
6. _________________________ studies language in all its forms.
7. _________________________ is a person who makes things out of wood.
8. _________________________ by definition is the professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant or hotel.
2. _________________________ is a person whose job is to teach students.
3. _________________________ refer to two or more words that are related and which have a specific meaning.
4. _________________________ is defined as all the rules of language that help us make correct sentences.
5. _________________________ is an animal which lives in Australia and carries its babies in a pouch.
6. _________________________ studies language in all its forms.
7. _________________________ is a person who makes things out of wood.
8. _________________________ by definition is the professional cook, typically the chief cook in a restaurant or hotel.
KEY: 1. a hotel, 2. a teacher, 3. a collocation , 4. Grammar, 5. a kangaroo, 6. Linguistics, 7. a carpenter, 8. a chef.
D.Study the following mini-dilogs and then write a similar one.
•A: What is the meaning of "jargon"?
•B: Jargon refers to special language pattern used by a particular group of people
____________________________________
•A: Can you define "stereotype", please?
•B: A stereotype is defined as an over-generalized belief about a particular category of people.
____________________________________
•A: Can you give me a definition for "adjective"?
•B: An adjective by definition is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
•B: Jargon refers to special language pattern used by a particular group of people
____________________________________
•A: Can you define "stereotype", please?
•B: A stereotype is defined as an over-generalized belief about a particular category of people.
____________________________________
•A: Can you give me a definition for "adjective"?
•B: An adjective by definition is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
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