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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 My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
amateur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
amateurs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
bears
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From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
better
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From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
chaos
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From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
dimly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
evident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
extreme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
fleecy
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From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
How
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From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
invariably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must qualify invariably.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
negatives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
perceive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
photograph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
photographs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
portrait
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
professionals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
province
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
qualify
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must qualify invariably.
represented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
representing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
salute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
satisfaction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
shown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
spots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
superior
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
supposingverbUS /səˈpoʊzɪŋ/
assuming something is true for the purpose of discussion
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading How is it that amateurs invariably take better photographs than professionals?
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
traces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It bears evident traces of the hand of an amateur.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the dim light before night or sunrise
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading In the first place, I have had the extreme satisfaction to be shown that photograph of your mother.
yourspronounUS /jʊrz/
the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to
From this reading My own negatives have always represented a province of chaos and old night in which you might dimly perceive fleecy spots of twilight, representing nothing; so that, if I am right in supposing the portrait of your mother to be yours, I must salute you as my superior.
