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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 For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
all
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
amazed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
answerednounUS /ˈanswered/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are you doing here?"
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
came
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
caught
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
completely
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From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "You sneak!" he cried.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
doing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What are you doing here?"
Ernest
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
explanation
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
finally
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From this reading Harry gasped, finally.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
gasped
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From this reading Harry gasped, finally.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
Graves
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From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
hard
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From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
Harry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Harry gasped, finally.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "What are you doing here?"
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
reasonable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
sneak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You sneak!" he cried.
staggered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation for what he had caught Graves doing.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are you doing here?"
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more completely staggered and amazed.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What are you doing here?"