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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 From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
Amy
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From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
back
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
broke
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
burned
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
candle
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
ceased
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
corner
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
far
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
figure
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
floor
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
gaze
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
Gerard
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From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
gnawing
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
grimy
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
ink
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
John
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
LASTnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
lay
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
leaned
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
low
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
men
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
moment
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
near-by
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
niche
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
night
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From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
other
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
paper
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
procured
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
rasping
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
rat
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
room
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From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
shadows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
SHIFT
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
some
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
Steele
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From this reading Before John Steele lay paper and ink, procured from some niche.
stillness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From a corner of the room the rasping sound of a rat, gnawing, broke the stillness, then suddenly ceased.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
threw
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
two
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
vigilant
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From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
wall
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From this reading THE LAST SHIFT The candle burned low; it threw now on grimy floor and wall the shadows of the two men, one seated at the table, the other not far from it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
WhereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had ceased writing; for the moment he leaned back, his vigilant gaze on the figure near-by.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Where were you on the night this woman, Amy Gerard, was found dead?"
