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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Google - a useful tool for English language learners

I was recently reading an IELTS essay about whether newspapers should publish information regarding the private lives of people.   The essay had the word "information" 10 times.  When I asked the writer of the essay why she didn't use any other words that carry the same meaning, she replied that she couldn't think of any.

This is when Google is your friend.   While Google Translate is a thorn in the side of most people, the site has other tools that are useful for language learning.   I recommended that when stuck for a synonym that she use Google's Define feature. That is, Google:  "Information define," and Google will give you both definitions AND synonyms.  If the essay writer had known that, she would have been able to use words like details and particulars which fit quite nicely into an essay like the one she wrote. 

So this is a quick and easy way to expand your vocabulary.  If you are unsure about whether a word fits a particular sentence, again you can use Google.   For example, with the word, particulars,   Google:  "particulars in a sentence," and you will find links to sites like Yourdictionary.com  which provides examples of the word in a sentence.   

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