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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 “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
aloud
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From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
asleep
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From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
back
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From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
bed
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From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
best
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From this reading Phœbe liked the reading aloud best.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
big
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From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
breakfast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
Child's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
comfortable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
counted
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From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
Dickens's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
discovered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
dividednounUS /ˈdivided/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
England
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
equallynounUS /ˈequally/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
exactly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
fall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
History
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
indeed
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From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
John
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From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
liked
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From this reading Phœbe liked the reading aloud best.
listened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
NextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
ordinarily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
ordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
philosophized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
Phœbe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
preparatory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phœbe liked the reading aloud best.
routine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
settling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
shoes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
spelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
starts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
sums
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
tone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
Uncle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
unlaced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
usual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next Uncle John “heard” the spelling, and looked over the sums; after which, settling himself in a big, comfortable chair by a window,—his back to Phœbe—he listened while she read aloud from Dickens’s “Child’s History of England.”
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The day had indeed started ordinarily enough—with the usual routine: breakfast, twenty minutes in the open air, then an hour equally divided between spelling and sums.
wonderfulnounUS /ˈwonderful/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Because she had discovered that if she would read quietly, and in one tone, Uncle John could be counted upon to fall asleep during the first ten minutes.
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You can’t tell anything by the way a day starts,” philosophized Phœbe, as she unlaced her shoes preparatory to going to bed; “because a wonderful day starts exactly like an ordinary one.”
