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 I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
dropped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
dropping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
Eliza
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I will try to," I replied.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
Later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
noise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
pass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I will try to," I replied.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
scissors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
surenounUS /sure/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I will try to," I replied.
tracknounUS /træk/
a route or signs showing the way someone went
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I will try to," I replied.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I spent a very poor night; the answer kept sort of coming and going.
wake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Later in the evening I was certainly on the right track, when Eliza dropped her scissors, and the noise again put me off.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Now, just at the moment when Eliza put the question I felt that I had really got the answer, and then it seemed to pass away from me.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "I will try to," I replied.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Just as I was dropping off to sleep, I seemed to have thought of the answer, and then I would wake up to be sure of it, and find it had slipped me again.
