Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies is here in full — 479 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
* * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN. CHARACTERS. JACK. JANET. MABEL.
Nursery Comedies
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies is here in full — 479 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
* * * * * THE
MONSTER
IN
THE
GARDEN.
CHARACTERS.
JACK.
JANET.
MABEL.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Nursery Comedies
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies is here in full — 479 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/95 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Line 1
* * * * * THE
MONSTER
IN
THE
GARDEN.
/ðə ˈmɑːnstər ɪn ðə ˈɡɑːrdən/
Line 2
CHARACTERS.
/ˈkærəktərz/
Line 3
JACK.
/dʒæk/
Line 4
JANET.
Line 5
MABEL.
Learner Dictionary
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.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading “CHARACTERS.”
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading “* * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.”
a small worthless amount
From this reading “JACK.”
monster
noun
US /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading “* * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.”
Word partnerships in these lines
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 THE GARDEN
preposition + article + noun
counted as “in … garden”
In this reading “* * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.”
All words in this reading · 8
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.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading CHARACTERS.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading * * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading * * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.
a small worthless amount
From this reading JACK.
JANET
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JANET.
MABEL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MABEL.
MONSTERnounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading * * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading * * * * * THE MONSTER IN THE GARDEN.
Chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies by Florence Eveleen Eleanore Olliffe, Lady Bell holds 479 sentences, grouped into 96 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.
What does chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies contain?
Chapter 1 holds 479 sentences of Nursery Comedies, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies by Florence Eveleen Eleanore Olliffe, Lady Bell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 479 sentences, grouped into 96 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.
How do I study chapter 1 of Nursery Comedies?
Work through the 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 96 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.
Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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.
Questions about reading Nursery Comedies
Common questions about reading Nursery Comedies by Florence Eveleen Eleanore Olliffe, Lady Bell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Is this the complete text of Nursery Comedies?
Yes. All 965 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #47609 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Which edition of Nursery Comedies is used?
Project Gutenberg eBook #47609, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
How long does Nursery Comedies take to read?
About 80 minutes of reading across 193 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to read Nursery Comedies section by section
How to work through Nursery Comedies section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
-
Open a chapter
Choose one of the 2 chapters of Nursery Comedies to begin.
-
Read one section
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
-
Listen and tap
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Vocabulary met early in Nursery Comedies
Words and structures a reader meets early in Nursery Comedies, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
- Monster
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nursery Comedies; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Garden
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nursery Comedies; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Characters
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nursery Comedies; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
- Janet
- A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nursery Comedies; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.