Meaning: Small crabs were moving quickly across the sandy area of the beach.
Choice of Words: Scurried: The verb "scurried" describes the quick and agile movement of the crabs. "Sandy expanse" refers to the large area of sand on the beach.
Alternative Expressions
Tiny crabs scuttled across the sandy expanse.
Meaning: This sentence describes a group of small crabs moving quickly and sideways across a large, open area of sand.
Choice of Words:Tiny describes the size of the crabs, making it clear that they are small. Crabs are small crustaceans with ten legs and a hard outer shell. Scuttled is a verb that describes the way the crabs moved, which is quickly and sideways. Across means from one side to the other. Sandy describes the expanse, which is a large, open area of land covered in sand. Expanse is a noun that means a large, open area of land or water.
Diminutive crabs scooted over the granulated plain.
Meaning: This sentence also describes a group of small crabs moving quickly across a large, open area of sand, but it uses more formal and specific language.
Choice of Words:Diminutive is an adjective that means small, which is a more formal way of saying tiny. Scooted is a verb that means to move quickly, which is a more informal way of saying scuttled. Granulated is an adjective that means made up of small grains, which is a more specific way of saying sandy. Plain is a noun that means a large, open area of land, which is a more general way of saying expanse.
Wee beasties scuttled o'er the grit strewn expanse.
Meaning: This sentence also describes a group of small crabs moving quickly across a large, open area of sand, but it uses more informal, poetic, and specific language.
Choice of Words:Wee is a Scottish word that means small, which is a more informal way of saying tiny. Beasties is a word that means animals, which is a more general way of saying crabs. O'er is a contraction of the words "over" and "the", which is a more poetic way of saying across. Grit is a noun that means small stones or sand, which is a more specific way of saying granulated. Strewn is a verb that means to scatter, which is a more descriptive way of saying covered.