The reader at a glance

The reader is the page where a story opens: the title, the story itself, and a toolbar of controls above it. The toolbar sets how much help you see, shows pronunciation, changes the text size, plays audio, and saves or exports the story. Any word in the story can be chosen to see what it means.

The toolbar’s eight controls, numbered left to right.

What’s in the toolbar?

From left to right on a computer:

1. Layout: three icon buttons, Guided, Assisted, and Solo. They set how much help is on the page. See Layout.
2. Pronunciation: shows how each word sounds, under the word. See Pronunciation.
3. Text size: opens a small box with Smaller text and Larger text buttons and the size in percent, from 85% to 150%.
4. Story audio: a play button (Play story audio) and a speed button that shows the current speed, 1.0× to start. It needs Premium Audio. Without the add-on, an i button beside it (About Premium Audio) explains it and plays a sample. See Audio.
5. A small headphones mark (Has audio) shows when the story already has its audio.
6. Save: a bookmark (Save this story to Library). It fills in once the story is in your Library; choose it again to remove the story (Remove from Library).
7. Export: a download arrow with a menu: Export as PDF, Export as EPUB, and Export as audio (MP3). See Print, PDF, and EPUB.
8. Full screen: gives the screen to the story. See Full screen and dark mode.

The toolbar stays at the top of the screen while you scroll, so the controls are always in reach.

Example

Sarah reads a Croatian A1 story about ordering coffee. She switches Layout to Assisted, makes the text larger with Text size, and chooses the bookmark to keep the story in her Library.

Where are the controls on a phone?

On a narrow screen the toolbar wraps onto two rows:

1. The top row has Layout and Pronunciation.
2. The second row has Text size, story audio, Save, Export, and Full screen.

The controls are the same; only their place changes.

On a phone, the toolbar wraps onto two rows.

Read the rest of the story

1. If the story fades out near the bottom, choose the round arrow button under it (Expand to read the full text).
2. To fold it back, choose the arrow under the last line (Collapse back to a preview).

Why is a button gray, with a lock?

Some controls need a paid plan or the Premium Audio add-on. A gray control still tells you why when you point to it or tab to it, for example Available with Premium Audio. See Plans and limits.

Can I use the keyboard?

Yes. The words in the story are buttons. Use the arrow keys to move between words, and press Enter to look one up.

Rate a story

Under every story you read in the Story Studio, How was this story? asks for a quick rating.

1. Choose I liked it or It had problems. Your rating is saved right away.
2. If you like, pick what stood out: The story itself, Grammar or wording, Translation, Too hard or too easy, or Something else. Then add a note under Anything to add? (optional) and choose Send, or choose Skip.

You can change your rating later; the newest one counts. Ratings go to the Stichos team with the story they’re about, and help us make better stories. You can send up to 50 ratings and reports a day.

What do you want to do?

Layout: Guided, Assisted, SoloChoose how much help you see.Looking up a wordWhat a word means here, and saving it.PronunciationIPA or Latin letters under each word.AudioHear a word, or the whole story.Full screen and dark modeJust the story, or a dark page.Print, PDF, and EPUBTake a story with you.