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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 RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
able
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
alley
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From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
AWAY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
brown
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From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
cannot
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From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
city
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From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
court
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From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
day
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From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
dirty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
glinting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
HOME
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From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
hot
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From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
houses
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From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
miserable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
Most
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From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
narrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
patched
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From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
pavement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
pierce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
Place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
places
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
Primrose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
RUNNINGnounUS /ˈrunning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
shine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
shining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
shone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
sides
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
summer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
sunbeams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
supposingverbUS /səˈpoʊzɪŋ/
assuming something is true for the purpose of discussion
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME One hot summer's day the sun was trying to shine into a poor, miserable alley in London.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading There are some places in that great city where even the sun cannot find its way, and Primrose Place was one of them.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very narrow court, and the houses on both sides were so high that the people who lived there had never seen the sunbeams shining on the pavement or glinting on the windows.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Most of them were broken and patched with brown paper.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But even supposing the sun could have shone into the court, it would not have been able to pierce into the rooms, for the windows were too dirty.
