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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 A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
bar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
bark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
confidently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
currentnounUS /ˈcurrent/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
depth
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From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
downward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
drifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
faster
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From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
finally
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From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
garments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
halfway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
HoweveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
Illinois
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
low
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
more
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From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
permit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
pocket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
quartering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
remaining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
safe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
shoal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
shore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
streaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
swam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
swept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
swim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
Tom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
upstreamnounUS /ˈupstream/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected.
wading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading toward the Illinois shore.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
woods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.
yards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the depth reached his middle he was halfway over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards.