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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 The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
amuse
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From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
barnyard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
become
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
business
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From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
call
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
came
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
clear-voiced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
clucking
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
collect
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
Countess
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From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
crowding
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
day
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From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
delegate
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
difficulty
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From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
duties
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
eggs
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
excellent
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
farmer
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
feed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
friends
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From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
gobbling
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
hardship
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From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
hunt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
Hélène
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
inspect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
leaving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
maid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
nests
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From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
New
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
newly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
personnel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
persuaded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
quacking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
stolen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
Valerie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
York
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
