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Best laid schemes
Best laid schemes

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Best laid schemes
Context Illustration Reading 1/87 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.
To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.
As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.
A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.
This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Best laid schemes

Chapter I

Reading 1/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.
Line 2
To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.
Line 3
As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.
Line 4
A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.
Line 5
This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading ““_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.”

Passed noun US /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.”

Speak noun US /speak/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.”

Sure noun US /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.”

All words in this reading · 80

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 As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

a-gley

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

accurately

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

aft

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

afterward

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

all

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

ambitions

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

became

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

best

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

college

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

critical

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

directed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

editor

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

effort

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

fame

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

fastidiousness

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

Gang

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

girl

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

happened

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

judgment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

knew

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

known

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

laid

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

literary

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

Man

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

many

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

matter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

men

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

mice

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

more

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

newspaper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

o

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

once

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

other

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

Parker

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

passednounUS /passed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

plenty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

prosperity

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

schemes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

shared

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

side

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

sonnet

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

sonnets

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

speak

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

sporting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

surenounUS /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

Susan

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

Susie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

Susie's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading As a college girl and afterward, Susie had, to be sure, known many men; but they had all passed by on the other side.

things

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This young man afterward became the sporting editor of a great newspaper, and but for Susie’s fastidiousness in the matter of sonnets she might have shared his prosperity and fame.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading To speak more accurately, plenty of things had happened, but Man had never happened.

twenty-six

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “_The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft a-gley_” Susan Parker was twenty-six and nothing had ever happened.

weak

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.

young

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A young man of literary ambitions had once directed a sonnet at Susie, but she was not without critical judgment and she knew it for a weak effort.