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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 Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
accustomed
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
adding
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
ajar
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tom recognized the voice and withdrew quickly.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
aperture
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
back
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
become
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
blowing
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
boyish
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
breeze
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
building
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
ByprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
cautiously
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
church
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From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
clasped
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From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
cool
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
darkness
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
door
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
eyes
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
fan-light
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
fear
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
fronting
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From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
groans
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From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
heard
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From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
inch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
interior
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
kneeling
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From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
like
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From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
man
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From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
muffled
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From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
neck
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
only
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From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
oozing
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
outlines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
pulpit
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From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
quickly
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
recognized
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From this reading Tom recognized the voice and withdrew quickly.
Recovering
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
relievednounUS /ˈrelieved/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
rising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
rude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
shape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
Some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
sounds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
space
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
startle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By cautiously adding another inch to the aperture he could see the interior of the building, its outlines taking shape when his eyes had become accustomed to darkness relieved only by the small fan-light over the door.
Tom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom recognized the voice and withdrew quickly.
up
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From this reading Recovering quickly from the first boyish startle of fear oozing like a cool breeze blowing up the back of his neck, he saw that the church door was ajar.
uplifted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom recognized the voice and withdrew quickly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading He was rising from his seat on the church step when he heard sounds like muffled groans.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Some one was in the church: a man, kneeling, with clasped hands uplifted, in the open space fronting the rude pulpit.
withdrew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom recognized the voice and withdrew quickly.
