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What is Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List and Why You Need It for Your English Learning
Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List: What It Is and Why You Should Use It
If you are learning English, you probably know that there are millions of words in the language. But did you know that you don't need to learn them all to communicate effectively? In fact, native speakers use just 7,500 words for 90% of what they speak or write. These words represent the core vocabulary of English, and they are words that everyone needs to be able to use with confidence.
Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List
But how can you identify these words and learn them efficiently? That's where Macmillan Dictionary comes in. Macmillan Dictionary is a free online dictionary that helps you find meanings, pronunciations, synonyms, collocations, idioms, as well as images, videos, and sound effects. It also has a unique feature called red words and stars, which shows you the most common English words at a glance.
In this article, we will explain what Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List is, how it works, and why you should use it for your English learning. We will also introduce some useful resources that Macmillan Dictionary offers for you to practice and expand your knowledge of the red words and stars.
How Macmillan Dictionary Identifies the Most Common English Words
Macmillan Dictionary makes a clear distinction between high-frequency core vocabulary on the one hand, and the less common words which are mostly needed for reference on the other. This distinction is based on corpus data and frequency analysis.
A corpus is a large collection of texts that represent how people use language in real life. Macmillan Dictionary uses a corpus of over one billion words from different sources such as books, newspapers, magazines, websites, social media, etc. By analyzing this corpus, Macmillan Dictionary can identify which words are used more often than others in different contexts and registers.
Based on this analysis, Macmillan Dictionary selects the most common 7,500 words in English and marks them with red color and star ratings. Three-star words are the most common 2,500 words in the language. Two-star words are the next most common, and one-star words are the next most common 2,500. These words are described in detail, with information provided not only about meaning, but also about grammatical behavior, word combinations (collocation), register (informal, literary, etc.), and pragmatics (what the words say about the speaker's attitude). These features are often illustrated with examples taken from the corpus to show typical contexts, collocations, and grammatical patterns.
The black words are mostly receptive. You need to know what they mean but might not need to reproduce them when speaking or writing. So these words have just a simple definition to help you to get to the meaning straight away.
The Benefits of Learning the Red Words and Stars
Learning the red words and stars can help you improve your fluency, accuracy, and appropriacy in English. Here are some of the benefits of learning the red words and stars:
You can communicate more effectively with a smaller vocabulary. By focusing on the core vocabulary of English, you can express yourself more clearly and concisely without using unnecessary or obscure words.
You can avoid mistakes and misunderstandings. By learning the red words and stars, you can avoid using words that are incorrect, inappropriate, or outdated in certain situations. You can also learn how to use words correctly in terms of grammar, collocation, and pragmatics.
You can expand your vocabulary more easily. By learning the red words and stars, you can build a solid foundation for your vocabulary. You can then use this foundation to learn new words that are related to the red words and stars in terms of meaning, form, or function.
Here are some examples of how the red words and stars can help you in different contexts and registers:
Context/Register
Example
Formal writing
You need to use formal and precise language to convey your message effectively. For example, instead of saying I'm sorry for being late, you can say I apologize for the delay. The word apologize is a three-star word that means to say that you are sorry for doing something wrong or for causing a problem.
Informal conversation
You need to use informal and friendly language to establish rapport with your interlocutor. For example, instead of saying How are you?, you can say How's it going?. The phrase how's it going? is a two-star phrase that means used for asking someone if they are well or happy or if they have any problems.
Academic reading
You need to understand complex and specialized language to comprehend the main ideas and arguments of a text. For example, you might encounter a sentence like this: The results indicate that there is a significant correlation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. The word correlation is a two-star word that means a connection or relationship between two or more facts, numbers, etc..
Casual texting
You need to use casual and abbreviated language to communicate quickly and conveniently with your friends. For example, instead of writing I will see you later, you can write C U L8R. The abbreviation L8R is a one-star word that means used in emails or text messages for writing later.
How to Use the Red Words and Stars in Macmillan Dictionary
You can access the red words and stars feature in Macmillan Dictionary online and offline. Here are some tips on how to use the red words and stars effectively for learning and reference:
Use Macmillan Dictionary online to look up any word you encounter or want to learn. You can see if it is a red word or a black word, how many stars it has, and what information it provides. You can also listen to its pronunciation, see its synonyms and antonyms, find its collocations, and explore its related words.
internet connection. You can also use the app to create your own wordlists and flashcards to review the words you have learned.
Use the red words and stars as a guide for your vocabulary learning. You can prioritize learning the three-star words first, then the two-star words, and then the one-star words. You can also focus on learning the words that are relevant to your interests, needs, and goals. For example, if you are interested in sports, you can learn the red words and stars related to sports.
Use the red words and stars as a tool for your vocabulary production. You can use the red words and stars to express yourself more effectively in speaking and writing. You can also use them to check your vocabulary usage and avoid mistakes or inappropriate expressions. For example, if you are writing an email to your boss, you can use Macmillan Dictionary to find the right words and phrases for a formal register.
Macmillan Dictionary Resources for Learning the Red Words and Stars
Macmillan Dictionary offers a variety of resources for you to practice and expand your knowledge of the red words and stars. Here are some of the resources that you can use:
The Red Words and Stars Pack
The Red Words and Stars pack is a PDF booklet that explains what red words are and how they can be used. It also comes with activities, including answer key, for classroom use and self-study. The pack also contains wordlists on the topics of technology, family and friends, study, hobbies and travel in the back of the PDF booklet.
You can download the pack for free from this link: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/learn/red-words.html
Here are some examples of activities and wordlists from the pack:
Activity 1: Match each word with its definition 1. apologize (verb) ___ 2. delay (noun) ___ 3. significant (adjective) ___ 4. achievement (noun) ___ 5. abbreviation (noun) ___ A. a short form of a word or phrase B. something that you have done successfully, especially using your own effort and skill C. important or noticeable D. to say that you are sorry for doing something wrong or for causing a problem E. a situation in which something happens later than it should Answer key: 1.D 2.E 3.C 4.B 5.A
Wordlist: Technology Three-star words: computer, internet, phone, email, website Two-star words: app, blog, download, online, software One-star words: emoji, podcast, selfie, tweet, virtual
The Macmillan Collocations Dictionary
A collocation is a combination of words that are often used together in a natural way. For example, we say make a mistake, not do a mistake. Learning collocations can help you use words more accurately and naturally in English.
The Macmillan Collocations Dictionary is a dictionary that shows you which words work together. It is now online and fully integrated with Macmillan Dictionary. You can browse collocations by clicking on the collocations button next to any word in Macmillan Dictionary.
Here are some examples of collocations from the dictionary:
Word
Collocation
Meaning
apologize
apologize profusely
to apologize in a very sincere way
delay
delay something indefinitely
to postpone something for an unknown period of time
significant
significant progress/achievement/improvement
a large or important change or development for the better
achievement
a remarkable/considerable/impressive achievement
something that is very impressive or difficult to do
abbreviation
an acronym/initialism/contraction as an abbreviation
a type of abbreviation that is formed from the first letters of a group of words, or by omitting some letters or syllables from a word
Other Useful Features and Links
Macmillan Dictionary also offers other features and links for you to enhance your English skills. Here are some of them:
Buzzword: A word or phrase that is new or popular in the language. You can learn about the meaning, origin, and usage of these words and phrases. For example, you can learn about the buzzword zoom, which means to communicate with someone using the video conferencing service Zoom.
Open Dictionary: A crowdsourced dictionary that allows anyone to add new words or phrases to Macmillan Dictionary. You can browse the latest entries, vote for your favorites, or submit your own. For example, you can find the open dictionary entry cronyistic, which means relating to or characterized by cronyism, the practice of favoring one's friends or associates in awarding jobs or contracts.
Quizzes: A collection of quizzes that test your vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation skills. You can choose from different levels and topics. For example, you can take the vocabulary quiz on trending words of 2020.
Videos: A series of videos that explain various aspects of the English language, such as grammar, pronunciation, metaphor, etc. You can watch the videos and learn from the experts. For example, you can watch the video on He? She? They?, which explains which pronoun you should use when you want to refer to a person without specifying their gender.
Blogs: A blog that covers various topics related to the English language, such as common errors, word origins, language trends, etc. You can read the blog posts and leave your comments. For example, you can read the blog post on Militate against mitigate, which explains the difference between these two words.
Infographics: A collection of infographics that illustrate various topics related to the English language, such as personality types, idioms, phrasal verbs, etc. You can download the infographics and share them with your friends. For example, you can download the infographic on What personality are you?, which shows some words that describe different personality traits.
You can find these features and links on the Macmillan Dictionary website: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List is, how it works, and why you should use it for your English learning. We have also introduced some useful resources that Macmillan Dictionary offers for you to practice and expand your knowledge of the red words and stars.
Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List is a great tool for identifying and learning the most common English words. By using this tool, you can improve your fluency, accuracy, and appropriacy in English. You can also access a variety of resources that Macmillan Dictionary provides for you to enhance your English skills.
We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. We encourage you to use Macmillan Dictionary for your English learning needs. You can also share your feedback and suggestions with us in the comments section below.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about Macmillan Dictionary 7500 Words List:
How many words are there in Macmillan Dictionary?
Macmillan Dictionary contains over 100,000 words and phrases in total. However, only 7,500 of them are marked as red words and stars, which are the most common words in English.
How often is Macmillan Dictionary updated?
Macmillan Dictionary is updated regularly with new words and phrases that reflect the changes and trends in the language. You can find these words and phrases in the buzzword and open dictionary sections.
Is Macmillan Dictionary only for British English?
No, Macmillan Dictionary covers both British and American English. You can see the differences in spelling, pronunciation, meaning, and usage between these two varieties of English. You can also switch between British and American English by clicking on the flag icons at the top of the website.
Can I use Macmillan Dictionary offline?
smartphone or tablet. You can access all the features of Macmillan Dictionary online without an internet connection. You can also use the app to create your own wordlists and flashcards to review the words you have learned.
How can I contact Macmillan Dictionary?
You can contact Macmillan Dictionary by sending an email to support@macmillandictionary.com. You can also follow Macmillan Dictionary on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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