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 There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
branches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
carrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
cast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
contain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
creek
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
digging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
directlynounUS /ˈdirectly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
distance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
dressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
feel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
foes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
friends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
fruit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
hid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
hoped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
island
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
landed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
lifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
mainland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
making
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
NextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
pickaxes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
reach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
sailors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
shipnounUS /ship/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
slaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
spades
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
streams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me.
trapdoor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
waterednounUS /ˈwatered/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There seemed to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the mainland which I hoped to reach.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of a tree.