Discussion Learner's Dictionaries
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DISCUSSIONLearner's Dictionary

English language teaching

Ready-to-run lesson plans, vocabulary drills, grammar tasks and pronunciation activities built on top of the Discussion Learner's Dictionary. Every lesson links directly to dictionary entries with definitions, IPA pronunciation, examples and CEFR levels.

Open word listsGrammar guide
Teachers and learners using dictionary word lists

Ready-to-use lesson plans

A2 · 45 min

Everyday food vocabulary

Learners identify 12 common food words, hear the pronunciation and use them in short sentences at the shop.

  1. Warm-up: elicit foods from the previous meal.
  2. Present 12 A2 food words from the dictionary word list.
  3. Drill IPA and audio for /flaʊə/ (flour) vs /ˈflaʊə/ (flower).
  4. Pair task: order from a menu using target vocabulary.
  5. Homework: write 5 sentences using new words.
Open A2 word list
B1 · 60 min

Present perfect vs past simple

Learners contrast present perfect and past simple through timeline tasks and dictionary examples.

  1. Timeline warm-up: 'this week' vs 'yesterday'.
  2. Compare dictionary example sentences for have + past participle.
  3. Controlled practice: complete 10 gap-fill sentences.
  4. Freer speaking: 'Have you ever…?' interviews in pairs.
  5. Feedback and error correction.
Open B1 word list
B2 · 40 min

Names, gender and origin

Learners explore how personal names carry meaning, gender and cultural origin using dictionary name entries.

  1. Look up 5 given names in the dictionary (e.g. Mary, John, Aisha).
  2. Identify gender, origin and meaning fields.
  3. Discuss cultural equivalents across languages.
  4. Write a short paragraph about the meaning of a learner's own name.
  5. Share and peer-review.
Open B2 word list
C1 · 60 min

Academic writing collocations

Learners build a personal collocation list for academic writing using citations from the dictionary.

  1. Pre-teach 'collocation' with 3 examples.
  2. Learners choose a C1 target word and open its dictionary entry.
  3. Record 3 strong collocations from example sentences and citations.
  4. Rewrite a paragraph using 5 new collocations.
  5. Peer feedback focusing on register and precision.
Open C1 word list
B2 · 40 min

Slang & regional English

Learners recognise register, identify slang senses and choose appropriate alternatives.

  1. Watch a short clip with informal language.
  2. Look up 5 slang terms in the dictionary; note register labels.
  3. Match slang to neutral or formal equivalents.
  4. Role-play: same message, formal vs informal.
  5. Discussion: when is slang appropriate?
Open B2 word list
A2 · 30 min

Pronunciation: minimal pairs

Learners distinguish and produce difficult minimal pairs using IPA and audio.

  1. Introduce 6 minimal pairs (ship/sheep, live/leave, etc.).
  2. Play audio from the dictionary and mark IPA.
  3. Choral drill, then individual repetition.
  4. Dictation of 10 words from the pairs.
  5. Pair game: guess the word your partner said.
Open A2 word list

Teaching resources by skill

Vocabulary builder by CEFR level

Open any level — A1 through C2 — to see the full learner word list, click a word for the full entry and export a class handout.

Open CEFR word lists

Grammar reference

Structured grammar articles on nouns, verbs, adjectives, tenses and prepositions — each linked to real dictionary examples.

Open grammar guide

Pronunciation lab

Every entry includes IPA plus British and American audio playback so learners can drill stress and difficult sounds.

Try a pronunciation search

Editorial queue

See how new entries and citations are reviewed before publication, and submit corrections from your own classroom.

View the editorial queue