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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 AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
alive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
also
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From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
antics
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From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
bee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But not before the bee had stung his tongue.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
BILLY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
bothering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
boys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
bumble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
buzzer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
buzzing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
darting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
DAY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
dive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
ears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
EXCITING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But not before the bee had stung his tongue.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
humming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
Just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
nose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But not before the bee had stung his tongue.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
paw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
persisted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
Say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
shook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
stung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not before the bee had stung his tongue.
swallow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
swallowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then the bee made a dive for his nose, but Billy opened his mouth and swallowed it.
threatened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
tonguenounUS /tongue/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But not before the bee had stung his tongue.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He shook his head and tried also to paw it away, but it still persisted in humming around and darting at him.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN EXCITING DAY FOR BILLY As Billy stood watching the antics of the boys, a bumble bee began buzzing around his head, bothering him by darting in and out of his ears.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Say, you old buzzer, if you don’t keep away from me, I’ll swallow you alive,” threatened Billy.
