The Railway Children: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words E. Nesbit uses again and again in The Railway Children that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
railway/ˈɹeɪɫˌweɪ/43× in the book
They were not railway children to begin with.
till/ˈtɪɫ/40× in the book
And so they were, but they did not know HOW happy till the pretty life in the Red Villa was over and done with, and they had to live a very different life indeed.
canal/kəˈnæɫ/30× in the book
The rocks and hills and valleys and trees, the canal, and above all …
jersey/ˈdʒɝzi/22× in the book
And so it would have done if the Bargee hadn't let go of Peter's ear—and caught her in his jerseyed arm.
heap/ˈhip/20× in the book
These three lucky children always had everything they needed: pretty clothes, good fires, a lovely nursery with heaps of toys, and a Mother Goose wall-paper.
silly/ˈsɪɫi/20× in the book
“There's nothing to be good ABOUT now, silly,” said Peter.
darling/ˈdɑɹɫɪŋ/19× in the book
“Come, darlings, go at once.”
barge/ˈbɑɹdʒ/18× in the book
… of course, the bargees, who steered the slow barges up and down …
handkerchief/ˈhæŋkɝtʃif/17× in the book
… which was the tunnel, all three children stood on the railing and waved their pocket-handkerchiefs without stopping to think whether they were clean handkerchiefs or the reverse.
petticoat/ˈpɛtiˌkoʊt/16× in the book
she said; “and I thought it was going to be cold; I wish we hadn't put on our—” she stopped short, and then ended in quite a different tone—“our flannel petticoats.”
flannel/ˈfɫænəɫ/16× in the book
“Now,” said Peter, taking hold of the largest flannel petticoat.
bun/ˈbən/16× in the book
Whenever an Editor was sensible there were buns for tea.
awfully/ˈɑfɫi/16× in the book
It's awfully tall, isn't it?”
jolly/ˈdʒɑɫi/15× in the book
It isn't our fault your secrets are so jolly easy to find out.”
chap/ˈtʃæp/15× in the book
“It always IS undone again,” said Peter, “and the Station Master was more of a gentleman than you'll ever be, Phil—throwing coal at a chap's head like that.”
brave/ˈbɹeɪv/15× in the book
“Oh, Mother,” she whispered all to herself as she got into bed, “how brave you are!
horrid/ˈhɔɹəd/14× in the book
cried Roberta, putting down her egg-spoon; “don't let's be horrid to each other.
afterwards/ˈæftɝwɝdz/14× in the book
Twopence indeed,” said he, and produced a bunch of sweetbrier from his hat, “just like a conjurer,” as Phyllis remarked afterwards.
tremble/ˈtɹɛmbəɫ/14× in the book
… and there was Peter firmly held by the jacket, with an old carpenter's bag full of coal in his trembling clutch.
unhappy/ənˈhæpi/14× in the book
“I never wanted things to happen to make Mother unhappy,” said Roberta.
lighted/ˈɫaɪtəd/13× in the book
There was a candle on the table, and he lighted it.
quarrel/ˈkwɔɹəɫ/13× in the book
“You can help me very much,” said Mother, “by being good and happy and not quarrelling when I'm away”—Roberta and Peter exchanged guilty glances—“for I shall have to be away a good deal.”
breathless/ˈbɹɛθɫəs/13× in the book
… who stopped when he heard Peter's hasty boots crunching the road, and coming up with him very breathless and with his ears now quite magenta-coloured, he said:—
presently/ˈpɹɛzəntɫi/13× in the book
When presently the Porter lounged out of his room at the twice-repeated tingling thrill of a gong over the station door, Peter said, “How do you do?”
frighten/ˈfɹaɪtən/13× in the book
James was so frightened that he went out and did not come back all day.
cart/ˈkɑɹt/13× in the book
The cart went at a foot's pace, and they followed the gritty crunch of its wheels.
indignantly/ˌɪnˈdɪɡnəntˌɫi/12× in the book
“We haven't got anything TO blab,” said Bobbie, indignantly.
hound/ˈhaʊnd/12× in the book
And now, following the track of the hare by the little white blots of scattered paper, came the hounds.
fireman/ˈfaɪɹmən/12× in the book
“You mean a fireman,” said Daddy, pulling and twisting at the engine.
beast/ˈbist/12× in the book
And it was Father who mended the doll's cradle when no one else could; and with a little glue and some bits of wood and a pen-knife made all the Noah's Ark beasts as strong on their pins as ever they were, if not stronger.
morrow/ˈmɑɹoʊ/11× in the book
It'll keep till to-morrow.
mend/ˈmɛnd/11× in the book
He could mend all sorts of things.
clever/ˈkɫɛvɝ/11× in the book
All Peter's hopes for the curing of his afflicted Engine were now fixed on his Father, for Father was most wonderfully clever with his fingers.
cheer/ˈtʃɪɹ/11× in the book
But before he went to school he thumped his sister between the shoulders and told her to cheer up.
bushes/ˈbʊʃəz/10× in the book
The way to the railway was all down hill over smooth, short turf with here and there furze bushes and grey and yellow rocks sticking out like candied peel from the top of a cake.
din/ˈdɪn/10× in the book
I suppose she's laid it in the dining-room.
fetch/ˈfɛtʃ/10× in the book
So then Peter told the sad tale, and fetched what was left of the Engine.
supper/ˈsəpɝ/10× in the book
“The woman I engaged to clean the place, and put the furniture straight and get supper.”
rattle/ˈɹætəɫ/10× in the book
They felt the rush of its passing, and the pebbles on the line jumped and rattled under it as it went by.
dull/ˈdəɫ/10× in the book
Mother did not spend all her time in paying dull calls to dull ladies, and sitting dully at home waiting for dull ladies to pay calls to her.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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