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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 woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
almost
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
Barbara
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From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
beach
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From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
blackberries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
bushes
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
coast
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
covered
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
edges
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From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
emeralds
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From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
ferns
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
forest
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From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
herbage
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
just
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From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
loomed
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From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
low-vined
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From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
many-tinted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
oak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
ocean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
portion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
rolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind her loomed the forest; before her rolled the ocean.
roots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
sands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
sapphires
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
shifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
soil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
sparse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
Stafford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
sunshine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
SYMPATHIES
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From this reading UNACCOUNTABLE SYMPATHIES.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
thinned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
turf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
turning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine lay upon both, turning one to sapphires, the other to shifting emeralds.
UNACCOUNTABLE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNACCOUNTABLE SYMPATHIES.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
verged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbara Stafford sat upon the roots of an old oak, that held the edges of forest turf together, just where they verged into the white sands of the beach.
whortleberry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
woods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woods had been thinned on that portion of the coast, and the oak stood out almost alone, amid a sea of whortleberry bushes, ferns, and low-vined blackberries, that covered the sparse soil with their many-tinted herbage.
