Term
| who was a match for Grendel, a guard against monsters |
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Definition
Notice how the punctuation helps you split the phrases for more fluent reading!
who was a match for Grendel, / a guard against monsters |
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Term
| in his strength of limb and the Lord's favor |
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Definition
This is one long prepositional phrase.
The word "and" helps you to break it down into meaningful parts.
read it as one full phrase |
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Term
| handed his attendant the patterned sword |
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Definition
This is part of the predicate of a sentence.
verb (handed) + indirect object (attendant) + direct object (sword)
read as one phrase |
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Term
| I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel. |
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Definition
full sentence
The interrupter "any day" can make it awkward to read. Try taking that part out and hear the main idea
I count myself / as dangerous / any day / as Grendel.
(MEANING: I count myself as dangerous as Grendel on any given day.) |
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Term
| although he does possess a wild strength |
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Definition
a dependent clause
... not a complete thought on its own ... needs the rest of the sentence in order to get full meaning
although he does possess / a wild strength
read as one phrase |
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Term
| he shall face me if face me he does |
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Definition
awkward word order
use the word "if" to help break it into meaningful chunks
he shall face me / if face me he does |
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Term
| he would ever see his homeland again |
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Definition
part of a longer sentence ... taken out of the middle ... easier to read here in isolation compared to reading the longer sentence in the full text
read as one phrase |
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Term
| One man, however, was in a fighting mood. |
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Definition
The commas set off the interrupting word "however" and help you to more easily read this sentence.
One man, / however, / was in a fighting mood. |
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Term
| God-cursed Grendel came greedily loping. |
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Definition
All those g's and c's (alliteration) make this tricky to read aloud. Slow down and really pronounce all the sounds and full words.
God-cursed Grendel / came greedily loping. |
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Term
| a sheer keep of fortified gold |
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Definition
The word "keep" is tricky here. It's used as a noun, not as a verb.
a sheer keep = a tall fortress
of fortified gold = a description of that fortress
a sheer keep / of fortified gold |
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Term
| he journeyed on ahead and arrived at the bawn |
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Definition
Notice the compound verb (journeyed and arrived). There are other words separating these main words.
bawn = a defensive wall
he journeyed on ahead / and arrived at the bawn |
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Term
| pacing the length of the patterned floor with his loathsome tread |
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Definition
So much description in here!
what he's doing = pacing
how = in a loathsome manner
where = on a patterned floor
pacing the length / of the patterned floor / with his loathsome tread |
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Term
| a ranked company of kinsmen and warriors quartered together |
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Definition
"ranked" indicates an order of things ... some rank higher and are more important
"kinsmen" = family members
"warriors" = soldiers
"quartered together" = rooming together
a ranked company / of kinsmen and warriors / quartered together |
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Term
| his days of ravening had come to an end |
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Definition
"ravening" = preying on others
his days of ravening / had come to an end |
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Term
| keenly watching for the first move the monster would make |
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Definition
"keenly" = sharply
keenly watching / for the first move the monster would make |
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Term
| when the alert hero's comeback and armlock forestalled him utterly |
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Definition
compound noun = comeback and armlock
"forestalled" = stopped
read this as one full phrase |
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Term
| recalled his bedtime speech, sprang to his feet and got a firm hold |
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Definition
three verbs here!
recalled
sprang
got
recalled his bedtime speech, / sprang to his feet / and got a firm hold |
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Term
| a sturdy frame braced with the best of blacksmith's work inside and out |
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Definition
This is a description of a building.
a sturdy frame / braced with the best of blacksmith's work / inside and out |
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Term
| the lament of the hell-serf keening his wound |
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Definition
lament = great sadness
keening = mournfully wailing
the lament of the hell-serf / keening his wound
or read all as one |
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Term
| wondering greatly at the monster's footprints |
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Definition
"wondering greatly" means they are amazed by something
wondering greatly / at the monster's footprints |
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Term
| under the tall sky on the broad earth |
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Definition
a beautiful description of nature!
under the tall sky / on the broad earth |
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