Englishfor English speakers
a
Determinative
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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.
proper
Adjective
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The proper way, place, use, etc. is the right one.
What is the proper way to write a letter?
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If something is proper, it is polite or acceptable.
It's not proper for you to live alone like this.
She was a very proper young lady.
Why don't you get a proper job at a good company?
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The mathx/math proper is the main or important part of mathx/math, not the parts near it.
We stayed in a village and only went into the city proper during the day.
little
Adjective
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If something is little, its size is not big.
I just ate a tiny little piece of the cake.
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A little while, distance, etc. is not long.
Could you just wait a little while more?
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A little person or animal is young.
Two little boys were fighting on the playground.
little
Determinative
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Little money, room, help, etc. is a small amount of it; not much.
They understood little or no French.
He was busy and had little time for children.
Try to spend as little of your money as possible.
We saw little of her after the first day.
Little is known about the problem.
The building was destroyed leaving little more than rock and glass.
She's a quiet person with little to say about these things.
This has little to do with him and a lot to do with you.
We saved what little was left.
madam
Noun
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Madam is used to call or talk to a woman.
Madam C.J. Walker became the nation's first self-made female millionaire.
Madam Ambassador, thank you very much for joining us.
15 July 2007, Dear Sir or Madam: This is to inform you that I am still alive.
I'm sorry, madam, but you're going to have to leave right now.
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A madam is a woman who is in charge of a brothel.