The referee blew the whistle to start the match.

Meaning: The official responsible for overseeing a sports game used a whistle to indicate the beginning of the competition.

Choice of Words: The words referee, blew, whistle, to, and start match are essential to understanding the sentence. They describe the action of a person officiating a sports game signaling the commencement of the competition.

Alternative Expressions

The official used the horn to commence the contest.

Meaning: This sentence also tells us that the referee used the whistle to let the players know that the game was starting, but it uses different words.

Choice of Words: Official is a person who has the authority to make decisions or enforce rules. Horn is a device that makes a loud noise when you blow into it. Commence means to begin something. Contest is a game or competition between two or more teams or players. When you put them together, "The official used the horn to commence the contest" means that the official used the horn to signal the beginning of the game.

The judge sounded the buzzer to initiate the game.

Meaning: This sentence is similar to the first two sentences, but it uses different words to describe the person, the device, and the action.

Choice of Words: Judge is a person who makes decisions or settles disputes. Buzzer is a device that makes a loud, buzzing sound when you press it. Initiate means to begin something. Game is a contest or competition between two or more teams or players. When you put them together, "The judge sounded the buzzer to initiate the game" means that the judge used the buzzer to signal the beginning of the game.

Related Expressions