She heard the waves crash.

Meaning: This sentence describes the subject perceiving the loud, sudden noise made by the ridges or swells on the surface of a body of water.

Choice of Words: Heard is a verb that means to perceive sound. Waves are ridges or swells on the surface of a body of water. Crash is a verb that means to make a loud, sudden noise.

Alternative Expressions

She listened to the waves crashing.

Meaning: This means that she paid attention to the loud noise that the waves made when they hit something. It's like saying, She paid attention to the loud noise that the waves made when they hit the shore.

Choice of Words: She refers to a female person who is the subject of the sentence. Listened is a verb that means to pay attention to a sound. The waves are the large bodies of water that are moving in the ocean. Crashing is a verb that means to make a loud noise when hitting something. When you put them together, "She listened to the waves crashing" means that the female person paid attention to the loud noise that the waves made when they hit something.

The waves made a crashing sound that she could hear.

Meaning: This means that the large bodies of water moving in the ocean created a loud noise that the female person was able to perceive with her ears. It's like saying, The waves made a loud noise that she could hear when they hit the shore.

Choice of Words: The waves are the large bodies of water that are moving in the ocean. Made is a verb that means to create or produce something. A crashing sound is a loud noise that is made when something hits something else. That she could hear means that the female person was able to perceive the sound with her ears. When you put them together, "The waves made a crashing sound that she could hear" means that the large bodies of water moving in the ocean created a loud noise that the female person was able to perceive with her ears.

Related Expressions