## Identifying letters 

Letters after the word identify the part of speech: 

n. = noun a. = adjective adv. = adverb v. = verb 

The verb is often followed by ‘t’ or ‘i’: 

◆ ‘v.t.’ stands for verb transitive . A transitive verb takes an object. 

He wrote a letter. (The object of the verb ‘wrote’ is the noun, ‘letter’.) 

◆ ‘v.i.’ stands for verb intransitive . This means that the verb does not take an object. 

She writes beautifully. (There is no object.) 

Many verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively – as in the above examples. In this case the verb will be followed by v.i & t. 

## Exploring derivations 

The dictionary will often give the derivation of a word. English is a rich language that owes much to other languages. Some words like ‘rendezvous’ are obviously French and have been kept in their original forms. Others like ‘galley’ have been adapted from several languages. 

If you have time, browse through a dictionary looking at the derivation of some of our words. It can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. 

