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 Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
activity
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From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
ate
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From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
authority
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From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
Avenue
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
believed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
bread
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From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
brown
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
brushed
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
buttered
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From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
carefully
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
church
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
clothes
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
cooking
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From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
derby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
field
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From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
Fifth
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
fork
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
gloves
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
got
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
hat
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From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
important
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
kid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
manners
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From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
mornings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
nice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
obeyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
Once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
pair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
parents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
peas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
says
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
shined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
shoes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
slice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
South
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
studied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
teachers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
tight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
traditions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
walked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
week-days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading On week-days he studied hard and obeyed his teachers, and in every field of thought and activity he believed what was told him by those in authority.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Sunday mornings he carefully shined his shoes and brushed his clothes at the window, and got into a pair of tight kid gloves and under a tight little brown derby hat, and walked with his parents to a church on Fifth Avenue.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He obeyed his mother and father, and ate his peas with a fork, and never buttered the whole slice of his bread.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been brought up in the traditions of the old South, to which the two most important things in the world were good cooking and good manners.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Once upon a time there was a little boy; a nice little boy, whom you would have liked if you had known him—at least, so his mother says.
