Contents
WordNerd Help Index

Help topics for WordNerd are divided into categories represented by the icons and text below.  To select a category with the mouse, point to its icon then click.  To use the keyboard, press Tab to highlight the category you want then press ENTER.  For more information about using Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

Step-by-step Instructions

Using WordNerd 	Using Menus

Using WordPaks	Reviewing Words

Reference Information

Parts of Speech 	Understanding Origins

Overview of Screens


Flash Cards

Flash Cards allow you to quickly review the words that are included in your current lesson.  You can see the words, parts of speech, definitions, and usage for each word one at a time.  Flash cards help you to develop an association for the word.

When you initially view a flash card, only the word, part of speech, and pronunciation are displayed.  By pressing the Flash button you can quickly review other information associated with that word, including the word's meaning and an example of usage.

Navigate a Sample Flash Card


Word Review
Quick Review

Quick Review allows you quickly review each words in the current lesson (similar to Flash Cards, but faster).  Using the Next and Previous buttons you can view all of the words in the current lesson one at a time.  Quick Review will show you the original word, its origin, its current meaning, and a sample sentence showing the word in use.


Multiple Choice

Multiple Choice is a well-proven way to improve your association of a word with its definition.  As each word in the lesson is displayed, four different choices for the word's meaning are shown as choices A, B, C, and D.  You must pick out the meaning that most closely matches the definition of the word displayed at the top.

When you are trying a Multiple Choice quiz for a given lesson you can only go forward.  If Instant Feedback is turned on you will see your correct selections turn green and your incorrect ones turn red after you make your choice.  You can click on the check mark or the X button to review each word.

Navigate a Sample Multiple Choice


Sentence Completion
Fill in the Blank

Fill in the Blank is a quiz that allows you to become more comfortable with the usage of each word contained in the current lesson.  This quiz displays a sentence that contains a number of blanks matching the number of letters in the correct answer.  One of the words in the current lesson correctly completes the sentence.  You have the ability to view the meaning of the unknown word by pressing the Meaning button, to receive hints on the word one letter at a time by pressing the Hint button, and the ability to view a complete list of all the words in the current lesson by pressing the Words button.  Notice that you can turn the Words and Meaning buttons on and off.  If instant feedback is turned on you will get feedback as you type each letter of your answer.  You can also guess by clicking on one of the words in the word list if you have it turned on.

Navigate a sample Fill in the Blank


Word Matching

Word Matching is a quiz where you are given a set of words from your current lesson and you try to match them with their definitions.  The words from the lesson are given in blocks of ten in the left-most column and their definitions are shown in a scrambled order in the right-most column.

Simply type in the letter of the matching definition in the square next to the each word.  Only letters 'A' through 'J' are valid.  You can use the TAB key to go forward or the SHIFT-TAB combination to go back.  After you enter a choice for each word, press the More button to go to the next ten words, or press the Done button if the More button is greyed out.

If you have Instant Feedback turned on Word Matching will change the color of the answer box to green if your answer is correct or red if your answer is incorrect.  In addition, as you select a definition for a word that definition will be grayed out indicating that it has already been chosen.

When you have completed the screen and are satisfied with your answers press the More button to move on to the next set of words.  When you have completed all sets the More button will be dimmed and you should press the Done button to review your results.

Navigate a Sample Word Matching


Word Options
New Lesson

The New Lesson screen allows you to choose the types of words that you want to learn in your lessons.  Using this screen you can choose which parts of speech to try, the level of word difficulty (0 is the easiest, 9 is the hardest), whether to retry words you've seen before, the origin Language for the words, and the number of words you want in the lesson.

The New Lesson screen is divided into four sections.  The purpose of each section is described below:

Parts of Speech

Usage History

Word Origins

Quiz Options


Using WordNerd

WordNerd is a powerful vocabulary improvement tool that will help you improve your verbal power and assist you in reading, writing, speaking, understanding others and communicating.

To take advantage of WordNerd's powerful capabilities simply click on any of the Action Buttons on WordNerd's main screen as shown below (you can also use your keyboard by pressing the letter that is underlined on the buttons).

Each Action Button will take you in to a lesson or feature to help you to begin enhancing your vocabulary and career immediately!  Most people like to begin with the Flash Cards, then work their way up to Multiple Choice and then on to the more advanced features.


Using WordPacks
Using WordPaks

A WordPak is a database that contains all of the information necessary for you to create new lessons from within WordNerd.  Each WordPak can contain words pertaining to a specific topic or words used in a given profession.

WordNerd comes with the Basic WordPak.  The Basic WordPak provides you with over 2000 general vocabulary words that can improve your everyday speech as well as reading, writing and verbal comprehension.  You can receive a Free Bonus WordPak for WordNerd by sending in your postage pre-paid Registration Card.

In order to open a new WordPak:

1.  Under the file menu select Open WordPak...

2.  Select the WordPak from the File Dialog and click on the OK button.

The new WordPak will be loaded into memory and the next lesson created will contain words from the new WordPak.


Parts of Speech

Part of Speech	Meaning

Adjective	A word added to a noun to describe a quality or

modify a meaning.

Adverb	A word that qualifies a verb, adjective, or other

adverb and indicates how, when, or where.

Noun	A word or phrase used as the name of a person,

place, or thing.

Verb	A word or words indicating action, occurrence,

or being.


Report Card

The Report Card provides you with a summary of your overall performance.  The Report Card will give you information on the total number of words you have practiced in all lessons taken to date.

The Report Card displays an average percentage correct for all words attempted.  The average difficulty level for all words tried is also displayed.  Each word has an associated difficultly level stored in the WordPak.  These difficulty levels are used in calculating the average difficulty level.

Finally the Report Card will give you feedback on how well your lessons are going along with an uplifting thought to encourage you to continue learning new words.

Navigate a Sample Report Card


Flash_Example
Contains a sample sentence using the review word.


Flash_Definition
The definition of the review word.


Flash_Part_Of_Speech
The part of speech for the review word.


Flash_Word_Name
The review word featured on this Flash Card.


Flash_What_It_Is
Starts a Flash Card review and creates a new lesson if one doesn't already exist.


Matching_What_It_Is
Starts a Word Matching quiz and creates a new lesson in one doesn't already exist.


Help_What_It_Is
Opens this Help File for WordNerd.


Exit_What_It_Is
Returns you to Windows by exiting WordNerd.


Preferences_What_It_Is
Allows you to set word options and generate a new lesson.


Report_What_It_Is
Displays a Report Card showing how you are doing overall for the WordPak.


Multiple_What_It_Is
Starts a Multiple Choice quiz and creates a new lesson if one doesn't already exist.


Completion_What_It_Is
Starts a Fill-In-The-Blank quiz and creates a new lesson if one doesn't already exist.


Flash Card Sample
Sample Flash Card

Above is a sample of a Flash Card.  Using the mouse, move the cursor around the picture.  Any spot where the cursor changes from into a hand can be clicked to display useful information about the text, control, or button at that spot.


Flash Dialog - Back Button
Back Button - Takes you back to the flash card you just saw.


Flash Dialog - Flash Button
Flash Button - Alternately flashes on/off the definition of the word.


Flash Dialog - Next Button
Next Button - Takes you to the next flash card.


Flash Dialog - Stop Button
Stop Button - Stops the current review immediately.


Flash Dialog - Help Button
Help Button - Brings up this Help File for WordNerd.


Flash Dialog - Boss Button
Boss Button - Hides the WordNerd application immediately.


Navigate a Sample Multiple Choice
Sample Multiple Choice

Above is a sample of a Multiple Choice quiz screen.  Use the mouse to move the cursor around the picture.  Any spot, control, or button where the cursor changes into a hand can be clicked to display useful information about the screen.


Multiple Next Button
Takes you to the next Multiple Choice quiz word in this lesson.


Multiple Word Choice
Use these buttons to choose the meaning that fits the lesson word.


Multiple Lesson Word
This is the word whose meaning you are trying to guess correctly.


Multiple Word Synonym
This is one of the choices.  Choose the one closest in meaning to the lesson word.


Multiple Stop Button
Stop Button - stops the current quiz prior to the end of the list of words in the lesson.


Word Matching Sample

Above is a sample of a Word Matching quiz.  Use the mouse to move the cursor around the picture.  Any spot, control, or button where the cursor changes into a hand can be clicked to display useful information about the screen.


Matching More Button
This will present the next ten words for this lesson.


Matching_Word
This is the word that you match to the definitions in the right-most column.


Matching_Done_Button
Press this when you are finished with this round of Word Matching.


Matching_Enter_Choice
Enter the letter of your selection for the matching definition in this square.


Matching_Definition
These are the definitions for the words shown in the left-most column.


Using Menus

File Menu

Open WordPak...

Prepare Menu

Flash Cards...

Quick Review...

Quiz Menu

Multiple Choice...

Matching...

Fill in the Blank...

Review Menu

Quiz Results...

Report Card...

Options Menu

New Lesson...

Lookup Word...

Help Menu

Help...


Quiz Results
Display results from last quiz.


Lookup_Word
Lookup Word

This menu option allows you to quickly look up the definition for a given word.  When the dialog appears simply type in the exact spelling of the word and click on the OK button.  You can also pick a word from the selection list of words in the current WordPak.  If you don't want to look up a word simply press the Cancel button.


Blank_Sentence
This is the sentence with a blank in it.  Try to fill in the blank with the correct word.


Blank_Word_Entry
Type your answer for the fill-in-the-blank word in this field.


Blank_Next
Press this button to advance to the next word.


Blank_Hint
Pressing this button will spell out the quiz word one letter at a time.


Blank_Choices
When the Words button is turned 'On' all words from the current lesson are displayed here.


Blank_Words_Off
This button will turn the display of the lessons words list on or off.


Blank_Meaning
This button will turn the lesson word's definition on or off.


Blank_Difficulty
The difficulty of the current quiz word is displayed here.


Fill in the Blank Sample

Above is a sample of a Fill in the Blank.  Use the mouse to move the cursor around the picture.  Any spot, control, or button where the cursor changes into a hand can be clicked to display useful information about the screen.


Lookup_Ok
Press this button to look up a word after you have typed it or selected it from the list.


Lookup_Cancel
Press this button to go back to the main WordNerd screen.


Lookup_Word_Field
Enter the word you want to look up in this field.


Exit_Application
This allows you to hide WordNerd.


Sample Report Card

Above is a sample of a Report Card.  Use the mouse to move the cursor around the picture.  Any spot, control, or button where the cursor changes into a hand can be clicked to display useful information about the screen.


Report_Card_Answered
This section shows you the total number of words answered to date, as well as the percentage answered correctly.


Report_Card_Difficulty
This shows the average difficulty level for all words attempted.


Report_Card_Phrase
Each time you see this another motivating phrase appears!


Report_Card_Status
WordNerd uses this field to provide feedback on your progress.


Origins

Words in the English language come from many other languages.  By far, most of our words come from the Latin language, once used throughout the Roman Empire.  Many other modern day English words come from French, German, Greek, Old English and numerous other languages.  If you want to concentrate on learning words which came to English from a particular language, you can set the word options on the New Lesson screen to have WordNerd select words from a particular language or combination of languages.  If you select the box marked 'Other' you will see English words from languages such as Malay, Portuguese, Old Dutch, or a number of other unusual sources.  Sometimes there aren't many words from some of the more unusual languages in a WordPak, so you may need to reduce the number of words per lesson if you have chosen an unusual combination of limited options (such as Adverbs from Arabic, of which there may be only one or two).


Parts of Speech

This section allows you to select which parts of speech will be included in the new lesson.  Simply turn the check boxes on or off depending on which the parts of speech you want to use.


Usage History

In this section you can decide whether the new lesson should include only new words you haven't tried before (click on the New words only button), or you can choose a mixture of old and new words, or only words that you have tried and missed before in this WordPak.


Word Origins

This section allows you to selectively choose the origin languages of the words to be contained in the generated lesson.  If you check any of these options the lesson created will contain words from the origin languages which have their checkboxes marked with an X.  You can select as many origins as you want.


Quiz Options

This section is used to set the number of words in the lesson, the difficulty level of the words you want to see in the lesson, and whether instant feedback is turned on or off.


Reviewing Words

You can review the words in the current lesson at any time by selecting the Review Words menu option or automatically at the end of each quiz.  The Review Words screen allows you to pick a word from the word list in the current lesson and see all information from the WordPak for that word, including its part of speech, pronunciation, origin, meaning, and a sample sentence containing the word.

You can select a word from the list and press the Review button, or you can simply double click on any word in the list.  You can click on the Review All button to go through all the words in the list (similar to Quick Review) by pressing OK after each word.  You can get out of Review All by pressing the Cancel button at any time.


Overview of Screens

Below is a list of all the screens within WordNerd.  Click on the name of a screen to go to help for that screen.

Fill in the Blank 	Flash Card

Multiple Choice 	Sample Report Card

Word Matching 	Parts of Speech

Usage History 	Word Origins

Quiz Options 	Lookup Word

Review Words 	Quiz Results


Review Words


Quiz Results