Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Patty at Home
Patty at Home

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Patty at Home is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Patty at Home
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.
The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.
Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.
After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.
Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Patty at Home

Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of Patty at Home is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.
Line 2
The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.
Line 3
Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.
Line 4
After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.
Line 5
Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

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.

methodical adjective US /məˈθɑːdəkəl/

characterized by method and orderliness

From this reading “Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.”

month's noun US /mʌnθs/

possessive form of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading “BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.”

Patty's noun US /ˈpætiz/

possessive form of “patty” — small flat mass of chopped food

From this reading “BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.”

postman noun US /ˈpoʊstmən/

a man who delivers the mail

From this reading “The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.”

sheaf noun US /ʃiːf/

a package of several things tied together for carrying or storing

From this reading “The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.”

supplementary adjective US /ˌsʌpləˈmentəri/

functioning in a supporting capacity

From this reading “After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.”

systematic adjective US /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk/

characterized by order and planning

From this reading “BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.”

tradesmen noun US /ˈtreɪdzmən/

plural of “tradesman” — a merchant who owns or manages a shop

From this reading “After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.”

All words in this reading · 100

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.

1st

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

accountsnounUS /əˈkaʊnts/

plural of “account” — a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

accurateadjectiveUS /ˈækjərət/

conforming exactly or almost exactly to fact or to a standard or performing with total accuracy

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

amountsnounUS /əˈmaʊnts/

plural of “amount” — a quantity of money

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

apple-pie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

BILLSnounUS /bɪlz/

plural of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

carefullyadverbUS /ˈkerfəli/

taking care or paying attention

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

desknounUS /desk/

a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜːrmənd/

characterized by great determination

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/

a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

evidentlyadverbUS /ˈevədəntli/

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

exactnessnoun

the quality of being exact

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

expensesnounUS /ɪkˈspensəz/

plural of “expense” — amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

FebruarynounUS /ˈfebjəweri/

the month following January and preceding March

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

householdnounUS /ˈhaʊshoʊld/

a social unit living together

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

housekeepingnounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpɪŋ/

the work of cleaning and running a house

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

hurrynounUS /ˈhɜːri/

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/

enclosed in the same envelope or package

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

lotnounUS /lɑːt/

(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

Mancy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

methodicaladjectiveUS /məˈθɑːdəkəl/

characterized by method and orderliness

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/

the second day of the week; the first working day

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

month'snounUS /mʌnθs/

possessive form of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

neatadjectiveUS /niːt/

clean or organized

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

notedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

pagesnounUS /ˈpeɪdʒəz/

plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

PattynounUS /ˈpæti/

small flat mass of chopped food

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

Patty'snounUS /ˈpætiz/

possessive form of “patty” — small flat mass of chopped food

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

plansnounUS /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

postmannounUS /ˈpoʊstmən/

a man who delivers the mail

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

presentedverbUS /priˈzentɪd/

past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

Russia-leather

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

sheafnounUS /ʃiːf/

a package of several things tied together for carrying or storing

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

statementnounUS /ˈsteɪtmənt/

a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

supplementaryadjectiveUS /ˌsʌpləˈmentəri/

functioning in a supporting capacity

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

systematicadjectiveUS /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk/

characterized by order and planning

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

tradesmennounUS /ˈtreɪdzmən/

plural of “tradesman” — a merchant who owns or manages a shop

From this reading After school she returned to find a supplementary lot of bills had been left by the postman, and also Mancy presented her with a number of bills which the tradesmen had left that morning.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Patty had no time to look at these before she went to school, so she placed them carefully in her desk, determined to hurry home that afternoon and get her accounts into apple-pie order before her father came home.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The 1st of February was Sunday, but on Monday morning the postman brought a sheaf of letters which were evidently bills.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Patty took the whole lot to her desk, and with methodical exactness noted the amounts on the pages of her little books.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading BILLS Patty's plans for systematic housekeeping included a number of small Russia-leather account books, and she looked forward with some eagerness to the time when the first month's bills should come in, and she could present to her father a neat and accurate statement of the household expenses for the month.

Chapter 14 of Patty at Home by Carolyn Wells holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 14 of Patty at Home contain?

Chapter 14 holds 125 sentences of Patty at Home, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of Patty at Home by Carolyn Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 14 of Patty at Home?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Patty at Home

Common questions about reading Patty at Home by Carolyn Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Patty at Home?

Yes. All 2814 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10268 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Patty at Home is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10268, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Patty at Home take to read?

About 234 minutes of reading across 563 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Patty at Home section by section

How to work through Patty at Home section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Patty at Home to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Patty at Home

Words and structures a reader meets early in Patty at Home, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Hooray
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Patty at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cried
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Patty at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frank
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Patty at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marian
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Patty at Home; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.