Wordplay

The Wordplay application is design to help advanced learners and teachers explore vocabulary. The interface is very basic and is due an upgrade. The main, and only page, contains 6 tabs which are discussed below. The uppercase letters represent the name of a tab.

WN – random words with their definitions

This tab, contains a list of 10 random words with their definitions taken from WordNet. The output of the program for a single word is shown below:

Output for the word “shape”

NOUN

  • any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline); "he could barely make out their shapes"

  • the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance; "geometry is the mathematical science of shape"

  • alternative names for the body of a human being; "Leonardo studied the human body"; "he has a strong physique"; "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"

  • a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept; "a circle was the embodiment of his concept of life"

  • the visual appearance of something or someone; "the delicate cast of his features"

  • the state of (good) health (especially in the phrases `in condition' or `in shape' or `out of condition' or `out of shape')

  • the supreme headquarters that advises NATO on military matters and oversees all aspects of the Allied Command Europe

  • a perceptual structure; "the composition presents problems for students of musical form"; "a visual pattern must include not only objects but the spaces between them"

VERB

  • shape or influence; give direction to; "experience often determines ability"; "mold public opinion"

  • make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the rice balls carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword"

  • give shape or form to; "shape the dough"; "form the young child's character"

WL - a word list

An example wordlist:

  1. aletris farinosa

  2. boustrophedonic

  3. canton

  4. cognitively

  5. conformably

  6. coseismal

  7. deservedly

  8. frothily

  9. iron perchloride

  10. moneran

  11. most

  12. nonplus

  13. palm civet

  14. pertinently

  15. pluralize

  16. pork barrel

  17. ruminant

  18. sensorineural

  19. the whole way

  20. without doubt

CW – crossword

This tab, contains a crossword, the shape, and size of which varies every time you update the page.

MC - multiple choice

This tab, contains a list of words for which you have to choose the definition. For example, the definition of self-centred is number 1 below:

Multiple choice for the word “self-centred”:

  1. limited to or caring only about yourself and your needs

  2. regardless

  3. brush-tailed rat kangaroo

  4. in a deceptive and unrealistic manner

  5. interpret by lip-reading

GF – A gap fill exercise

This tab, contains 5 groups of 5 sentences where the same word has been removed from each sentence within a group. For the example given below, “copies” is the one word that will complete every sentence.

fell failed copies autumn twelve

  • In the present case, the retail profit on three copies only, namely, 4s.

  • Two copies of the bill of lading should be made out.

  • This is a limited pressing and only 500 copies will be available worldwide.

  • This mode of producing copies is very similar to the preceding.

  • This is 5,000 copies of the Complete Shakespeare on one disk, or less than $1 per copy.

DL – The doublet puzzle, a game invented by Lewis Carroll

The doublet puzzle, requires you to transform one word into another by changing only one letter at a time. Each intermediate word must also be a word. The puzzle can be quite difficult, though some people seem to have a knack for finding solutions.

Here is an example where the word rocky is transformed into chore:

rocky

cocky (r changed to c)

cooky (c changed to o)

cooke (y changed to e)

choke (o changed to h)

chore (k changed to r)