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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 After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But the damage had been done.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the damage had been done.
cut
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
damage
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From this reading But the damage had been done.
didn't
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From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the damage had been done.
dreaming
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
enough
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
excitement
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From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
fatal
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From this reading And the mistake was fatal!
finger
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
human
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
Inexperience
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From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
loose
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
made
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
mistake
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
negligence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
planning
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
realized
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
rockets
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
sense
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
still-firing
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
stupidity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Inexperience, stupidity, negligence, excitement--the reason didn't matter.
they'd
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From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And the mistake was fatal!
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When the mistake was realized, they'd had sense enough to cut loose the still-firing rockets.
working
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.
years
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From this reading After years of planning and working and dreaming, one human finger had made a mistake.