He gave her a book for her birthday.

Meaning: He presented her with a collection of bound pages on her day of birth.

Choice of Words: Gave means to transfer something to someone. Book is a set of printed or written pages bound together. Birthday is the anniversary of the day a person was born.

Alternative Expressions

The man presented the lady with a tome on her day of birth.

Meaning: This sentence means the same thing as the first sentence, but it uses more formal language.

Choice of Words: The word "presented" is a more formal way of saying "gave." "The lady" is a more polite way of referring to a woman. "A tome" is a large, heavy book. "On her day of birth" is a more poetic way of saying "for her birthday."

He bestowed upon her a volume for the anniversary of her arrival on this planet.

Meaning: This sentence means the same thing as the first two sentences, but it uses very formal language.

Choice of Words: The word "bestowed" is a very formal way of saying "gave." "Upon her" means "to her." "A volume" is another word for "book." "For the anniversary of her arrival on this planet" is a very formal way of saying "for her birthday."

Related Expressions