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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 The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
animal
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
bloom
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
bright
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
came
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
clear
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
completenounUS /complete/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
dainty
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
developed
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
eighteen
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
excess
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
expected
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
face
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
figure
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
flower
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
four
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
fourteen
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
girl
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
grace
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
graceful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
HEIRnounUS /er/
A person legally or magically entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
home
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
joyousness
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
just
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
like
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
live
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
more
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
mother
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
opening
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
Phyllis
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
prettier
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From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
sing
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
SON
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From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
song-bird
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
spirits
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
spontaneous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
suggested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
sweet
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
tom-boy
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From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
transformation
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From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
voice
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From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.