Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
begun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
birthday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
Colony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
earning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
fifty-five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
fighting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
finished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
history
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
hunting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
mining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
owing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
pen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
seems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
trader
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
trading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have been trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since.
trip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At an age when other boys are at school I was earning my living as a trader in the old Colony.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
wonder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wonder what sort of a history it will be when I have finished it, if ever I come to the end of the trip!
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
write
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a curious thing that at my age—fifty-five last birthday—I should find myself taking up a pen to try to write a history.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have done a good many things in my life, which seems a long one to me, owing to my having begun work so young, perhaps.
