Chapter 4 of Lettice is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Lettice is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup. Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?" Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words. He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside. "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
Chapter 4 of Lettice is here in full — 418 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
on or to one side
From this reading “He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.”
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading “"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.”
any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl
From this reading “"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.”
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading “"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.”
informal terms for a mother
From this reading “"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.”
past form of “matter” — have weight; have import, carry weight
From this reading “"Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.”
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading “Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.”
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading “He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.”
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 “He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.”
In this reading “Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.”
In this reading “Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"”
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 "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
on or to one side
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
a man of refinement
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
immediately past
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
past form of “matter” — have weight; have import, carry weight
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
having a supporting base
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had been reading a letter, which he threw aside.
which person or people
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "There is nothing from Ingram," he remarked to his wife.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Her father, who was standing near, overheard the last words.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Mamma," said Daisy, in a low voice--she was always a little afraid of the boys laughing at her--"I don't think it would have mattered about the cup.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Do you know, he looks quite like a gentleman?"
Chapter 4 of Lettice by Mrs. Molesworth holds 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 4 holds 418 sentences of Lettice, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Lettice by Mrs. Molesworth exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 418 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 4 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 Lettice by Mrs. Molesworth on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2500 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43130 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #43130, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 208 minutes of reading across 500 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Lettice section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of Lettice 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 Lettice, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
