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 Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
althoughnounUS /ˈalthough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
artificial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
atmosphere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
bay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
best-constructed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
blocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
buildings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
chapel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
chapels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
coral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
curious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To a stranger, these blocks look extremely curious.
exposure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
extremely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
flood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
fossil-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
friable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
handsomest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
harden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
hewn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
impressions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
Like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To a stranger, these blocks look extremely curious.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
palace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
Partoowye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
pier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
presenting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
seal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
Seas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
semicircular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
South
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
stands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
stranger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To a stranger, these blocks look extremely curious.
substancenounUS /ˈsʌbstəns/
wealth or financial means
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
surface
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
sweep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading To a stranger, these blocks look extremely curious.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In Partoowye is to be seen one of the best-constructed and handsomest chapels in the South Seas.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Like the buildings of the palace, it stands upon an artificial pier, presenting a semicircular sweep to the bay.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The chapel is built of hewn blocks of coral; a substance which, although extremely friable, is said to harden by exposure to the atmosphere.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Their surface is covered with strange fossil-like impressions, the seal of which must have been set before the flood.
