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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
all
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From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
always
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
became
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From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
casually
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From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
club
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
courteously
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
day
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From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
declined
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
deeply
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From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
engagement
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
entertainment
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
evening's
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From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
extraordinary
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From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
father
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From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
firm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
French
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
happy-go-lucky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
interested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
invited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
law
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
Michael
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
Once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
pleasantnounUS /pleasant/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
questioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
saying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
signs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
student
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
studied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
study
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
talent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They saw signs of extraordinary talent in him.
thinkingnounUS /thinking/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
twice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice, thinking to make life pleasant for him, they had invited him to their club, or to some evening’s entertainment, and always Michael had courteously declined, saying that he had an engagement for the evening.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He studied hard, and seemed to know what he was about all day.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
Willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They casually questioned Will French, the other student, who was a happy-go-lucky; in the office because his father wished him to study something and not because he wanted to.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now about this time the law firm with whom Michael worked became deeply interested in their new “boy.”
