Hummingbirds sipped nectar, their wings a blur.

Meaning: This sentence captures the hummingbirds' rapid movement and their feeding habits.

Choice of Words: Hummingbirds are small birds known for their humming sound during flight. Sipped means to drink a small amount of liquid. Nectar is a sweet liquid produced by flowers. Blur means something that is not clear or distinct. When you put them together, "Hummingbirds sipped nectar, their wings a blur" means that the hummingbirds were drinking small amounts of nectar from the flowers while their wings were moving so quickly that they appeared as a blur.

Alternative Expressions

Tiny birds drank sweet liquid, their wings moving very fast.

Meaning: This means the same as the first sentence, but it uses simpler words that an 8-year-old might be more familiar with.

Choice of Words: Tiny means very small. Birds are animals with feathers, beaks, and wings that can fly. Drank means to swallow a liquid. Sweet means something that tastes good, like sugar or honey. Liquid means something that flows, like water or juice. Their means that the wings belong to the birds. Wings are the body parts that birds use to fly. Moving very fast means that the wings were flapping up and down very quickly.

The little birdies were sipping on the sugary water, their wings going like crazy.

Meaning: This means the same as the first two sentences, but it uses even more informal language and some slang that an 8-year-old might find more engaging.

Choice of Words: Little means small. Birdies is a cute way to say birds. Sipping means to drink slowly and gently, often using a straw or a tongue. Sugary water is a mixture of sugar and water, which is what hummingbirds drink from flowers. Their means that the wings belong to the birdies. Wings are the body parts that birds use to fly. Going like crazy means that the wings were flapping up and down very quickly.

Related Expressions