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 In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
accumulated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nevertheless, he accumulated money, and bought this ranch, determined to retire.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
bought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nevertheless, he accumulated money, and bought this ranch, determined to retire.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
cope
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From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜrmɪnd/
having firmly decided to do something
From this reading Nevertheless, he accumulated money, and bought this ranch, determined to retire.
early
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
engineer
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From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
father
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From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
foothills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
grazing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
insufficient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
intervened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
mining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
money
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
NeverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, he accumulated money, and bought this ranch, determined to retire.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
proved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
ranch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
retire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nevertheless, he accumulated money, and bought this ranch, determined to retire.
rich
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
rising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
rocky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
savednounUS /saved/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
spend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
successful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
vacation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was successful, and might have been a very rich man to-day if---- But that 'if' always intervened.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In his early days my father was a mining engineer.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
western
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lower part of the ranch is good grazing ground, but the upper or western part is rocky, rising to the foothills.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading "I always come West and spend the vacation on the ranch, and this time brought with me all the money I had saved, but it proved insufficient to cope with the situation.
