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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 Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
act
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From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
attired
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
average
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
belonging
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
boy
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
circus
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
clown
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
count
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From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
direction
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
donned
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
easier
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From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
evening
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From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
face
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
find
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From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
FIRSTnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
friend
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
fully
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
get
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From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
health
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
hit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
ill
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
Jack
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From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
Jack's
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From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
Kyle's
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From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Then you may find it easier to make a hit.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
nervous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
Now
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From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
PERFORMANCE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
ready
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
suit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
Well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who had left the circus because of ill health.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready for his first performance that evening.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend when the boy was fully attired.
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now, it’s what you do that will count to-night, and until you get your new act.
