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 It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
answering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
background
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was a background which belonged to herself and which would always be there.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
belonged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a background which belonged to herself and which would always be there.
change
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
desk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
detail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
faithfully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
followed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
guess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was a background which belonged to herself and which would always be there.
immediate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
letters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
lists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
notes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
questions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
referring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
sweetly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a background which belonged to herself and which would always be there.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
thinkingnounUS /thinking/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
trying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She tried to remember every detail and she also tried to keep before her mind that she must not let people guess that she was thinking of other things--or rather trying not to think of them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No immediate change was made in her life during the days that followed.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was as though she stood guard over a dark background of thought, of which others must know nothing.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was a background which belonged to herself and which would always be there.
writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat at her desk, writing letters, referring to notes and lists and answering questions as sweetly and faithfully as she had always done from the first.
