Earthworms stretched, waking from slumber.

Meaning: The earthworms came out of their sleep and stretched their bodies, feeling refreshed and ready to move around.

Choice of Words: Stretched is used to describe the action of earthworms extending their bodies. Waking means coming out of sleep. Slumber is a deep sleep.

Alternative Expressions

The earthworms stretched, waking up from their sleep.

Meaning: This sentence is describing earthworms waking up from sleep and stretching their bodies.

Choice of Words: The is a definite article that refers to a specific noun. Earthworms are long, thin creatures that live in the ground. Stretched means to make something longer or wider. Waking means to stop sleeping. Up means to move to a higher position. From means to move away from something. Their is a possessive pronoun that refers to something belonging to the earthworms. Sleep is a noun that refers to the state of being asleep. When you put them together, "The earthworms stretched, waking up from their sleep" means that the earthworms were waking up and making themselves longer.

The earthworms, who had been sleeping, stretched and woke up.

Meaning: This sentence is describing earthworms waking up from sleep and stretching their bodies.

Choice of Words: The is a definite article that refers to a specific noun. Earthworms are long, thin creatures that live in the ground. Who is a relative pronoun that refers to the earthworms. Had been sleeping is a past perfect verb tense that indicates an action that was completed before another action. Stretched means to make something longer or wider. And is a conjunction that connects two words, phrases, or clauses. Woke is a past tense verb that means to stop sleeping. Up means to move to a higher position. When you put them together, "The earthworms, who had been sleeping, stretched and woke up" means that the earthworms were sleeping, then they stretched and woke up.

Related Expressions