Customer Reviews

Collins Cobuild English Dictionary for Advanced Learners: Major New Edition

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

The Collins Cobuild was developed for non-English speaking persons, but is still very useful for native English-speakers. It has an extremely unique style and it tries hard to present the idiomatic language in a manner that is easily assimilable. While it may not please all the people all the time, on many occasions I've turned to it for a definition when my Webster's New World, American Heritage or Oxford Concise ran dry. The definitions include much description of the meaning, with very illustrative examples (not mere sentences). I don't use it as a primary dictionary, but for those hard-to-find definitions, it proves very handy.

I bought this dictionary in May 1990 in Singapore.

The way the content presented is the best I had ever seen. This dictionary is written in ordinary, everyday English that is easy to understand. It has an excellent Guide to the Use of the Dictionary. Every explanation comes with at least one example that is taken from actual texts wherever possible. The extra column in the dictionary, right beside the explanation of a word, creates a visual attraction to the reader. This extra column is used to give two different types of information: grammar notes and semantic relationships (similar or opposite) for the word that is being explained. I love it.

CoBuild is the appreviation of Collins Birmingham University International Language Database. This dictionary was developed and compiled in the English Department at the University of Birmingham as part of a language research project commissioned by Collins Publishers.

Currently, I am looking for its enriched and/or, if any, CD-ROM version. Unfortunately, it seems that the publisher stopped publishing this great dictionary.

Cobuild has been with me since my very first steps in English. It always helped me in all the stages of my learning. It won't matter how good your English get or if you're a seasoned English speaker, Cobuild will always have much to offer. Its down-to-earth explanations and rich examples give very precise definitions and understanding of the words and expressions. The pronunciation is easy to learn, and the differences between the major English variations are pointed out when necessary. It's so good to use this dictionary, that I get myself reading it for very long. Sometimes you just get it to take a look at one definition, and then you feel like exploring and reading on and on (which is great for who's learning; you learn even more!). Another important thing is that, once you get used to Cobuild's Dictionary, it'll be easier if you get other Cobuild publications, because their layout and structure are pretty the same. You won't be disappointed at all if you buy it. As another substitute for Cobuild I would also suggest the Longman Series for Learners. Both Longman and Cobuild, have unique features. Which one you're going to choose is up to you and it's a hard choice. To avoid having to choose do just like me and buy both.

PROS

- Each word entry has an example. It is drawn from Collins' bank of English with 2.5

billions of real Englis words. This help the readers to use the word in natural expression

and grammatically correct. So far, it's the only dictionary that offers this useful feature.

It has saved me from hours of frustration while writing technical documents and

correspondence.

- You get two dictionaries for the price of one! It comes with a Dictionary CD rom

containing the printed copy of the dictionary TOGETHER WITH pronunciation and 5 millions

words of real English. This means you can look up the words, pronunciation and examples very

quickly. This is a unique offer.

- It is well organized. Each word entry is printed in blue. Its definition is in black.

- The price is unbeatable for such a good and comprehensive dictionary.

CONS

Once in a while, there is a word with unclear definition. At that time I have to consult

another dictionary. But after that I have to come back to Collins dictionary for examples.

To sum up, this is the BEST that YOUR MONEY CAN GET. I wish I had it while I was in school.

It would have helped me understand my lessons quicker. Every high school and college student

should have one copy.

I owned a copy of an old edition and it is because I remembered how good that one was that I eventually purchased this one, which is even better.

Aside from what other reviewers have pointed out, I find this to be the perfect tool for people with ADHD and the reasons are:
1) it gives example of real English, allowing you to pick up patterns
2) it tells you not just which kind of word you are reading (adj, verb, noun, etc) but also the general meaning that specific word is used for (ie: disapproval, expression of feelings, emphasis, etc)
3) it lets you know whenever an equivalent (or similar) phrasal verb exists to mean the same thing
4) it highlights the difference in pronunciation whenever a given word can be used both as a noun and as a verb
5) it lists all the idiom a particular word is used in
6) at the end there is a blue section called "access to English" with a long subsection on how to write an essay
7) words can have one, two or three diamonds depending on how vital it is that you learn their meaning (1 being you MUST know them, 2 being you should know them, 3 being you will sound great if you learn it)

What else can I say? This dictionary just ROCKS!

COBUILD stands for Collins Birmingham University International Language Database, which is a huge repository of written text covering the last several decades. The criteria for a definition getting into the dictionary is that it must be somewhat well represented in the database. This means that the dictionary omits a lot of definitions which, while being less common, are still in use. For this reason, while the COBUILD is an excellent primary dictionary, it is important to have a second, more comprehensive dictionary, such as the Websters or Funk & Wagnalls, etc. The COBUILD dictionary uses a methodology similar to that used in the great granddaddy of them all, the Oxford English Dictionary, in that it includes numerous sentences to illustrate the definitions it provides, but it is not as scholarly, and therefore would be much easier for many to use. Also, since the COBUILD dictionary is compiled strictly from contemporary usages, it eliminates the need to evaluate the senses for currency of usage. All its definitions are currently in use. Also, it has a friendly feel to it and it is comfortable to use. It's a definite must-have.

I teach ESL to adults and this dictionary is the best! It defines words and phrases in complete sentences, indicates which words are the most used, and distinguishes between American and British English, which helps when someone learned English in Europe. I highly recommend it for both students and teachers. (But get the hardcover; you'll quickly wear out the paperback!)

I learned English for many years and I used more than eight English-English dictionaries.

When I saw the Collins COBUILD English dictionary in a bookstore, I was very excited. I had been using English-English dictionaries for years and I had formed some expectations. This dictionary immediately impressed me as the best one so far. The best by far. I knew that I had been waiting for this dictionary for many years.

You can use this dictionary when you don't understand a word. You will learn its meaning through seeing this word used in sentences. The sentences use the word as it is used naturally by native speakers. The sentences are not artificial. They are real sentences.

You can use this dictionary to learn how to use a word in your own sentences. You can follow the example sentences which already use this word correctly. The dictionary is full of example sentences. Even the definitions are written in the form of whole sentences.

Reading correct English sentences is the most important thing for learning English. When you use this dictionary, you read many sentences in English. Therefore this dictionary is a good tool for learning English.

The basic barrier to understanding anything is a misunderstood word. If one understands the words on the page, he or she will be able to grasp the subject he is studying. This dictionary helps one to understand words in the English language in a simple manner. It gives you definitions that make sense. It takes the complexities out of the language. It allows you to read a definition without having to then look up a difficult word within the definition. This book has greatly helped me with my studies and I recommend it to anyone.

For English learners like me, this is kind of a bible. When I don't get a meaning of a word, it doesn't just rephrase like other dictionaries. This dictionary explains the meaning in a sentence. This is like a home teacher!