Squirrels scampered up and down the tree trunks.

Meaning: The squirrels ran quickly with short steps up and down the main stems of the trees.

Choice of Words: Squirrels are small, furry animals with bushy tails. Scampered means to run quickly with short steps. Up means to a higher position. Down means to a lower position. Trunks are the main stems of trees.

Alternative Expressions

The squirrels were scampering up and down the tree trunks.

Meaning: This means the squirrels were running up and down the trees, and we're watching them do it.

Choice of Words: **The squirrels** tells us which animals were scampering. **Were scampering** is the past tense of **scamper**, so it means the squirrels were doing it in the past. **Up and down** still means they were moving in both directions on the tree trunks.

The squirrels scampered up the tree trunks and then down again.

Meaning: This means the squirrels ran up the trees and then ran back down again.

Choice of Words: **Up the tree trunks** tells us where the squirrels were scampering up. **And then down again** tells us that after they scampered up, they scampered back down.

Related Expressions