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actually
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From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
almost
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From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
any
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
breathed
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From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
change
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From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
cheerfully
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
coming
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From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
couch
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From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she saw her, she could have cried for gladness.
felt
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
friend
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From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
gladness
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From this reading When she saw her, she could have cried for gladness.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
grown
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
Hal
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From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
Hal's
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From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
hard
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When she saw her, she could have cried for gladness.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
hide
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
ill
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
Jean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
knees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
letter
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From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
longer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
Lorraine
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
seriously
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From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
shocked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
swift
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
unsteady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Jean had not told her of the letter, and she knew nothing of Hal’s coming until she was actually in the house.
useless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lorraine tried hard to smile cheerfully, but she could not hide any longer from herself how seriously ill she had grown, and she felt it useless to try and hide it from Hal.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied:
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
words
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From this reading When Hal first saw her old friend she was almost too shocked for words at the swift change in her.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “How good of you, Hal… how good of you!” she breathed, and Hal, on her knees by the couch, in an unsteady voice replied: