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 Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
air
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
baby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
bassinette
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From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
Beaton
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From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
boy
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From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
ByprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
called
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From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
champagne-like
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
children
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From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
clear
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
day
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
distance
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From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
fro
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From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
girl
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From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
glorious
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
go
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From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
happiness
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From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
health
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From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
letter
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From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
Letters
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From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
lovely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
mistress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
move
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
New
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
now
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From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
playing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mrs. Beaton was at home, and a lovely home it seemed to be; a pretty picture of happiness and health its mistress would have made.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
sleeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
Some
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From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
South
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
spring
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From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
surenounUS /sure/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
Sydney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
Telegram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some Letters and a Telegram Mrs. Sydney Beaton sat reading a letter.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
unconsciously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
Violet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
Wales
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a glorious day; the clear champagne-like air of New South Wales in spring time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At a little distance two children were playing, a boy and a girl; sometimes the boy called the girl Violet, and she called him Sydney.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading By her, in a bassinette, was a baby; every now and then, half unconsciously, she would move the bassinette to and fro, as if to make sure that the baby should go on sleeping.
