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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 MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
anxious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
Ayah
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From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
care
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
clergyman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
CONTRARY
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From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
distance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
English
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
entire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
fact
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
MARY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
MISTRESSnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
native
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
nice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
older
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
polite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
QUITEnounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
self-absorbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
stay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
supposed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
