Chapter 1 of Patty's Friends is here in full — 157 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Patty's Friends is here in full — 157 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either. I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself." "What a sensible wish!" commented Nan. "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?" "So I could go to two places at once.
Chapter 1 of Patty's Friends is here in full — 157 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/31 · 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.
past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on
From this reading “"What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.”
increase twofold
From this reading “"But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"”
your grandmother
From this reading “"What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.”
small flat mass of chopped food
From this reading “"I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.”
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “"So I could go to two places at once.”
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading “"What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.”
either of two offspring born at the same time from the same pregnancy
From this reading “"I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.”
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading “I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."”
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 "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
the two together, not just one
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
past form of “comment” — make or write a comment on
From this reading "What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
increase twofold
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
one or the other of two
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
your grandmother
From this reading "What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.
not any; not one
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
on one occasion
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
small flat mass of chopped food
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading "What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
either of two offspring born at the same time from the same pregnancy
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "So I could go to two places at once.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I wish I were twins, and could be both of them myself."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What a sensible wish!" commented Nan.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I wish I had a twin sister," said Patty; "no, that wouldn't do, either.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading "But why do you want to double yourself up in that way?"
Chapter 1 of Patty's Friends by Carolyn Wells holds 157 sentences, grouped into 32 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 1 holds 157 sentences of Patty's Friends, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Patty's Friends by Carolyn Wells exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 157 sentences, grouped into 32 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 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 32 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 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.
Common questions about reading Patty's Friends by Carolyn Wells on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3446 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25847 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #25847, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 287 minutes of reading across 690 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Patty's Friends section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of Patty's Friends 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 Patty's Friends, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
