Chapter V
'Wasn't it in your books?' Dan suggested. He had been doing geography at his last lesson. 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied. 'Canst thou read, child?'
Puck of Pook's Hill
Chapter V
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
'Wasn't
it
in
your
books?'
Dan
suggested.
He
had
been
doing
geography
at
his
last
lesson.
'I
can
neither
write
nor
read,'
he
replied.
'Canst
thou
read,
child?'
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
'Wasn't
it
in
your
books?'
Line 2
Dan
suggested.
Line 3
He
had
been
doing
geography
at
his
last
lesson.
Line 4
'I
can
neither
write
nor
read,'
he
replied.
Line 5
'Canst
thou
read,
child?'
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Been
auxiliary verb
US /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “He had been doing geography at his last lesson.”
Books
noun
US /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “'Wasn't it in your books?'”
Canst
modal verb
US /kænst/
an old form of “can”, used with “thou”
From this reading “'Canst thou read, child?'”
Last
noun
US /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He had been doing geography at his last lesson.”
Neither
determiner
US /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.”
Replied
noun
US /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.”
Thou
pronoun
US /ðaʊ/
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading “'Canst thou read, child?'”
All words in this reading · 26
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading 'Wasn't it in your books?'
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
Canstmodal verbUS /kænst/
an old form of “can”, used with “thou”
From this reading 'Canst thou read, child?'
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Canst thou read, child?'
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dan suggested.
doing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
geography
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading 'Wasn't it in your books?'
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading 'Wasn't it in your books?'
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
lesson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been doing geography at his last lesson.
neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
suggested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dan suggested.
thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading 'Canst thou read, child?'
Wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Wasn't it in your books?'
write
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'I can neither write nor read,' he replied.
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'Wasn't it in your books?'