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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 They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
burly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
company
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
determination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
dogged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
entered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
erect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
expression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
father's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
features
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
fixed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
followed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
forger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
Governor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
heap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
leaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
leaving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
master's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
Patricia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
petals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
polished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
scat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
seized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
slipt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
stems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
Surveyor-General
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
talking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
torn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
trembling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
Unnoted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Unnoted by all but one of the company, she slipt to a seat in the shadow of her father’s burly shoulders.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He was leaning forward, talking to the Governor, who sat very erect, his features fixed in an expression of dogged determination.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered the master’s room, and Patricia, seized by a sudden impulse, followed them, leaving Betty trembling in the window scat.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He left the hall, but was back in five minutes’ time with the forger.
wood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Surveyor-General sat well behind the table, and upon the polished wood before him lay a little heap of torn petals and broken stems.
