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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 He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
bed
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
bleeding
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
blow
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
boyish
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
CLAIRE
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From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
CLASP
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From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
cowardly
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
depositions
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
dying
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From this reading Tom was dying.
face
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
faced
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
failing
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
fate
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
few
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
friend
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
given
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
GOLDEN
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From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
hand
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
hope
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
HOW
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From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
inch
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
inward
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
judgment
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
killing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
knew
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
knife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
lying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
missed
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
more
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From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
mystery
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
PLAY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
pluck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
questions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
reason
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From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
SAW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
SHEpronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
signed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
struggle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
supreme
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
surgeon
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
taken
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From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
TELLS
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From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The knife had missed his heart by little more than an inch, but the inward bleeding was killing him and there was no hope.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He knew it, and though the reason of that cowardly blow was a mystery to him, he asked few questions, but faced his fate with the old boyish pluck.
TOparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
Tom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom was dying.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Tom was dying.
WENTnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading TELLS HOW CLAIRE WENT TO THE PLAY; AND HOW SHE SAW THE GOLDEN CLASP.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading His depositions had been taken and signed with his failing hand; the surgeon had given his judgment, and my friend was lying upon his bed, face to face with the supreme struggle.