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.
long
Adjective
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If something is long, it takes a lot of time.
At 3 hours and 24 minutes, it's a very long movie.
That was a long time ago, when I was a child.
How long is it until we have our trip?
He was often quiet for long periods of time.
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If something is long, it has a large distance from end to end.
It belonged to a woman in her thirties with long brown hair.
The paper was about 20 cm long and 12 cm wide.
You can hear it across long distances.
She wore a long gray skirt with a black jacket.
long
Adverb
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If something takes long, it takes a lot of time.
We had dinner together not so long ago.
I do not know how long I was standing there.
She left home long before I did.
I could not go on any longer.
Those days are so long gone.
This change is long overdue.
long
Verb
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If you long for something, you wish for or really want it.
Carol still longs for David to come back to her even though she knows he has a new wife.
spell
Verb
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To make up a word.
C, A and T spell cat.
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To say or write all the letters that make up a word, in the right order.
Jack says: "Spell cat for me, Jill."
Jill says: "C-A-T."
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To spell all the words in a language correctly.
Jack says: I thought cat was spelled K-A-T.
Jill says: That is because you cannot spell very well.
spell
Noun
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A spell is an amount of time.
He stayed in his house for quite a spell.
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What happens during an amount of time.
We've had a bad spell of weather.
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Words supposed to have a magical power, or the effect they are supposed to have.
He cast a spell on us.
The witch cast an evil spell on the princess.
of
Preposition
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Made using.
It is a house of cards.
fine
Adjective
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If something is fine, it is OK, not a problem, or acceptable.
She said it works -- it's fine.
"Can I put it here?" "There? Oh, yes, yes, fine! Put it there."
"How are you?" "Fine, thanks!"
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If something is fine, it is very good in quality.
This is a fine example of how we can work together.
Everyone should be able to enjoy fine music and fine art.
She's one of Spain's finest skiers.
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If the weather is fine, the sun is out and it is not raining or snowing.
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Very, very small.
Grind it into a fine powder.
It's hard to see the fine details.
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if someone is fine, then they are good-looking or attractive.
That woman is so fine!
fine
Adverb
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If something works fine, it works well, or without any problems.
Going there today would suit me fine.
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If you draw or cut something fine, you do it in very small pieces or with small detail.
fine
Noun
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A fine is money that you pay for breaking a rule or the law.
There is a $500 fine for smoking inside.
fine
Verb
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If you fine someone, you make them pay money for breaking a rule or the law.
He was fined $500 for smoking inside.
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To make something finer in quality or size.
The wine will fine with time.
weather
Noun
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The weather in a place is the air temperature, the number of clouds, and the amount of wind and rain or snow.
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The weather conditions at the airport are bad. I don't think the plane will be able to fly.
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The radio says the hot summer weather is going to continue for a few more days.
weather
Verb
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To weather is to be changed by the effects of sun, wind, ice or rain.
The old house had weathered badly.