Children laughed gleefully as they played.

Meaning: This sentence is describing how children were making happy sounds while they were playing.

Choice of Words: Children are young people who are not yet adults. Laughed means to make a sound expressing amusement or joy. Gleefully means in a happy and carefree manner. As means at the same time as something else. Played means to take part in a game or other activity for enjoyment.

Alternative Expressions

The children were laughing gleefully while they played.

Meaning: This means the children were really enjoying themselves and were very happy while they were playing.

Choice of Words: The children refers to a specific group of young people, typically under the age of 18. Were laughing means they were making a sound expressing amusement or joy. Gleefully means in a happy and cheerful manner. While they played means during the time they were engaged in an activity for enjoyment or recreation. When you put them together, "The children were laughing gleefully while they played" means the children were very happy and having fun while they were playing.

As the children played, they laughed gleefully.

Meaning: This means the children were really enjoying themselves and were very happy while they were playing.

Choice of Words: As means at the same time that. The children refers to a specific group of young people, typically under the age of 18. Played means they were engaged in an activity for enjoyment or recreation. They laughed means they made a sound expressing amusement or joy. Gleefully means in a happy and cheerful manner. When you put them together, "As the children played, they laughed gleefully" means the children were very happy and having fun while they were playing.

Related Expressions