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 had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
battlefield
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From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
bed
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From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
Bennett
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From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
boys
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From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
can't
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From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
cottage
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From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
dawn
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From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
dear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
dress
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From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
fairy
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From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
fire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
Isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
knee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
nearing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
ones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
patted
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From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
pleading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
rested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
Robin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
Robin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
shrivelled
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From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
Sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
stroked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
talked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
tremulously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Robin had spent the night at the cottage and Mrs. Bennett had been very good to her.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It had been nearing dawn when the girl went to bed and at the last Mrs. Bennett had held on to her dress and asked her a pleading question.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
woman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had sat by the fire together for a long time and had talked of the dead boys on the battlefield, while Robin's head had rested against the old fairy woman's knee and the shrivelled hand had stroked and patted her tremulously.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
you'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Isn't there anything you'd like me to do for you--anything on earth, Miss, dear?
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes there's things an old woman can do that young ones can't.
