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 They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
allowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
animals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
barn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
begin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
bet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
Billy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
BUTTING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
cows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
devilment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
directlynounUS /ˈdirectly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
discover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
dog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/
very enthusiastic or eager
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
farmyard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
greatly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
MATCHES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
milked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
noticed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
pasture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
restless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
Shep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
SomethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
villain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
wander
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
wandered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
wandering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They wandered around the farmyard, lay down for a few minutes and then got up to begin their restless wandering again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
Watson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BUTTING MATCHES Shep, the Watson dog, noticed that all the animals seemed greatly excited.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Now the night pasture where the cows were allowed to wander after they had been milked in the evening was directly the other side of the barn.
Whiskers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something is up, and I bet it is some devilment of Billy Whiskers.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading I’ll just keep my eye on the villain without his knowing it and discover what it is that is going on,” thought Shep.
