Chapter 3 of Elsie and the Raymonds is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Elsie and the Raymonds is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup. “Ah?” he said, returning the smile. “I am all attention. I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.” “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
Chapter 3 of Elsie and the Raymonds is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading ““Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.”
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading ““I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.”
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading ““I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.”
the ordinal number of fifty in counting order
From this reading ““Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.”
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading ““Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.”
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading ““Ah?” he said, returning the smile.”
a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet
From this reading ““I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.”
any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading ““I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.””
In this reading ““Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah?” he said, returning the smile.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “I am all attention.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am all attention.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading “I am all attention.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
dearly loved
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
the ordinal number of fifty in counting order
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
the act of giving
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ah?” he said, returning the smile.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
not any; not one
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
by chance
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
To recall to mind.
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading “Ah?” he said, returning the smile.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Ah?” he said, returning the smile.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
express in words
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Perhaps you remember that mamma’s fiftieth birthday will come early next month,” Violet resumed.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading I have no doubt it is something worth hearing.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I have something to tell you, my dear,” Violet began, giving her husband a bright smile from behind the coffee urn as she filled his cup.
Chapter 3 of Elsie and the Raymonds by Martha Finley holds 194 sentences, grouped into 39 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 3 holds 194 sentences of Elsie and the Raymonds, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Elsie and the Raymonds by Martha Finley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 194 sentences, grouped into 39 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 39 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Elsie and the Raymonds by Martha Finley on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3333 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #67184 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #67184, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 277 minutes of reading across 667 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Elsie and the Raymonds section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of Elsie and the Raymonds to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Elsie and the Raymonds, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
