Englishfor English speakers
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.
stroke
Noun
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A stroke is when blood stops coming into your brain.
I had a stroke after running so hard.
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A stroke is an action of hitting something lightly.
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A stroke is the person who sets the speed in a rowing crew.
After years of training he was made stroke in the Oxford University crew.
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A stroke is something that happens without warning.
She had a stroke of good luck playing cards and won 20 dollars.
stroke
Verb
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If you stroke something, you touch something with the hand, and move your hand gently up it.
She stroked his hair lovingly.