Englishfor English speakers
a
Determinative
—
A is used when the following word could be any of a certain type.
Compare "A book I saw on the shelf" and "The book I gave you yesterday".
a
Noun
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A is the first letter of the alphabet.
The letter "a" comes before "b".
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In some schools, an A is a very high grade.
Ron got an A on his earth science test.
walk
Verb
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If you walk, you go on foot, step by step. Walking is slower than running.
No train goes to that town, so people need to walk to go there.
walk
Noun
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A walk is what we do when we go on foot.
Are you taking the dog for a walk?
The walk to work gives me time to think.
in
Preposition
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Used to show that something is inside something else.
The cat is in the box.
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Used to show that someone is at home, or is available.
Is John in?
The Doctor is now in.
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Used to show movement towards the inside.
The rain came in through the window.
the
Determiner
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Used, instead of a, to reference something specific, already known to exist.
Compare "I read a book." and "I read the book."
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Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special.
Are you the John Smith that I went to school with?
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Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people concerned
The poor are always with us.
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Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs.
You are the best.
cloud
Noun
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A cloud is a collection of condensed water vapor floating in the sky that sometimes makes rain.
Those dark storm clouds are quickly getting closer.
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A cloud is a group or swarm of something.
The cloud of locusts flew closer to the corn.
cloud
Verb
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If something is clouded, it becomes foggy or gloomy; it becomes blocked from sight.
The sky clouded over.
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If something is clouded, it becomes obscure.
Don't cloud the issue.