The children played happily in the garden, chasing butterflies.

Meaning: This sentence describes children having fun playing in a garden, chasing butterflies and enjoying the outdoors.

Choice of Words: Played is the past tense of the verb play, which means to engage in an activity for enjoyment or recreation. Happily describes a state of great joy or pleasure. Garden is an area of ground where plants are grown. Chasing means to pursue or run after something. Butterflies are flying insects with large, colorful wings.

Alternative Expressions

The kids frolicked merrily in the park, pursuing butterflies.

Meaning: This sentence is similar to the first sentence, but it uses different words to convey the same idea. It describes a group of children who are having fun by chasing butterflies in a park.

Choice of Words: Kids is another word for children. Frolicked means to play or skip about in a carefree manner. Merrily means with joy or happiness. In is used again to indicate a location. The is used again to specify a particular park. Park is an area of land that is set aside for public use, often with trees, grass, and other amenities. Pursuing is another word for chasing. Butterflies are mentioned again as the object of the children's pursuit.

The young ones cavorted gleefully in the verdant expanse, chasing the fluttering insects.

Meaning: This sentence is more elaborate than the first two sentences, but it conveys the same basic idea. It describes a group of children who are enjoying themselves by chasing butterflies in a green and open area.

Choice of Words: Young ones is another way to refer to children. Cavorted means to prance or skip about in a playful manner. Gleefully means with great joy or delight. In is used again to indicate a location. The is used again to specify a particular expanse. Verdant means green and lush. Expanse refers to a large, open area of land. Chasing is mentioned again as the activity that the children are engaged in. Fluttering insects is a more specific way to refer to butterflies.

Related Expressions