Welcome to my Build Your Own Homeschool Library series where I'm sharing with my readers some of my favorite books from my homeschool shelf. Please note that all the posts in this series contain my own opinions, and I have not been compensated by any publishing company for any of the content.
Overview
Do you have a rhyming dictionary on your homeschool bookshelf? For me, buying one didn't cross my mind until I happened to see a copy on Amazon.com.
I honestly don't remember ever using a rhyming dictionary as a child, but I do remember struggling over poetry assignments. If I had used a rhyming dictionary, I tend to think those struggles wouldn't have been so painfully memorable.
If you're not familiar with a rhyming dictionary, let me explain a bit how they're organized. The main entries are formed from word endings, from the last accented vowel to the end, which produces one-, two-, and three-syllable rhyming sounds. The main entries are listed in alphabetical order, and similar sounding entries are cross-referenced. For example, if you look up -ix, you will be referred to the -icks entry instead.
The rhyming words under each entry are grouped by number of syllables. For example, under -ald, the first words listed are one-syllable — such as bald; then two-syllables — such as as so-called; then three-syllables, such as overalled.
How to use the books
Rhyming dictionaries are obviously reference books, to be used when writing poetry or other written works that require rhyming. I'm a strong believer in having the right tools available for the job, so having the rhyming dictionary available when my child has poetry assignments is essential. (Incidentally, I found the rhyming dictionary especially handy when I wrote a poem about the artistic exploits of my diapered and duct-taped daughter.)
As you can see from the picture above, elementary-level rhyming dictionaries are also available. I think these are appropriate to purchase for children under 10 years of age. Our Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary also includes a primer on rhyming at the beginning of the book, so it further serves as a convenient way to review the basic elements of rhyming.
View a subject-by-subject list of all the posts in the Build Your Own Homeschool Library series here.
We have a Scholastic one, but I never thought of looking for a more advanced version. Neat.
This is going on my list of books to buy. My daughter is always rhyming and searching for words to rhyme with. Thanks for sharing.
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We have three copies of the Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary. I do not have a copy of the Websters one but will look for a copy. My daughter loves to write poems and one of the copies I bought for her. Having a more advanced rhyming dictionary sounds useful.
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