Silverware gleamed on the table.

Meaning: The sentence describes eating utensils made of silver or a similar metal shining brightly on a piece of furniture with a flat top, usually supported by legs.

Choice of Words: Silverware: utensils for eating, made of silver or a similar metal. Gleamed: shone brightly. Table: a piece of furniture with a flat top, usually supported by legs.

Alternative Expressions

The shiny silverware was on the table.

Meaning: This sentence also describes silverware that is shining brightly on a table, but it uses the adjective shiny instead of the verb gleamed.

Choice of Words: Shiny means reflecting light, bright, or gleaming. Was is a past tense form of the verb to be, indicating that the silverware was on the table in the past.

The silverware on the table was gleaming.

Meaning: This sentence is similar to the first sentence, but it uses the preposition on to indicate the position of the silverware on the table and the continuous tense form was gleaming to indicate that the silverware was shining brightly over a period of time.

Choice of Words: On is a preposition indicating the position of the silverware on the table. Was gleaming is a continuous tense form of the verb to gleam, indicating that the silverware was shining brightly on the table over a period of time.

Related Expressions