Firefighters contained blaze to one building.

Meaning: The firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to other buildings.

Choice of Words: The words "firefighters", "contained", "blaze", and "one building" are used to emphasize the success of the firefighters in preventing the fire from spreading.

Alternative Expressions

Firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to other buildings.

Meaning: This sentence means the same thing as the first sentence, but it uses different words to express the same idea.

Choice of Words: Firefighters are people whose job it is to put out fires. Stopped means to cause something to cease or end. The is used to refer to a specific thing. Fire is the process of burning. From indicates the starting point of an action or movement. Spreading means to move or extend over a wider area. To indicates the direction or purpose of an action. Other means different or separate from the one being referred to. Buildings are structures with roofs and walls, such as houses or schools.

The firefighters kept the fire from getting bigger.

Meaning: This sentence means the same thing as the first two sentences, but it uses simpler words that might be easier for an 8-year-old to understand.

Choice of Words: The is used to refer to a specific thing. Firefighters are people whose job it is to put out fires. Kept means to hold or retain something. The is used to refer to a specific thing. Fire is the process of burning. From indicates the starting point of an action or movement. Getting is the present participle of the verb get, which means to obtain or acquire something. Bigger means larger in size or amount.

Related Expressions