Useful Words and Phrases: Describing drowning

1) head bobbing up and down

2) arms are flailing wildly in the air
3) sank into the murky depths of the water
4) swam towards her with powerful strokes
5) swept away by the strong current
6) spluttered and gasped for air
7) thrashed about wildly in the water
8) screamed for help but water keep gushing into his mouth
9) plunged into the ice-cold water
10) a crowd of onlookers were milling around the scene
11) pumped rhythmically on his chest
12) regained consciousness
13) commotion had died down

"Mum! John asked if I could go fishing with him. Can I go? I looked up. It was my brother, Leo. "Sure!
behave yourself!" Mum replied. Leo looked as happy as a dog with two tails. "Don't forget the pail".
I told him careless Leo was always forgetting things.
As Leo walked ahead, he met John. "Oh! I thought you wanted to meet at the park!" "Never mind!"
John grinned. As they continued walking, Leo and John chatted about games and other things. Soon,
they reached the path leading to the lake. "You brought your pail right?" John asked. "Check!" Leo
grinned. "Your fishing net? " Leo asked. "Check!" come the immediate reply.
At the end of the path, a sign with the word "DANGER" written on it, was stuck into the mud. The
boys, cheeky as usual, ignored the sign and carried on walking. When they reached lake. John stood
near the edge of the lake. A fish was slowly swimming towards him. "Be careful!! This is a 10 meters
deep lake" cautioned Leo. Just as his words were lettered, John slipped and fell into the lake. Oh no!
"Leo thought. he groaned, "Leo, you can't swim.
Neither can John!" Leo looked at John. His arms were failing wildly in the air. Suddenly John felt a
sharp pull in his legs. He yelped out, but his cries were muffled by the wind. John went as white
as a sheet as he bobbled up and down trashing about. He remembered he had his handphone in his
pocket. John then threw the handphone to leo. "Quick! call someone! Anyone!" he shouted. Leo called
me "Sis! Come! Quick!" Leo shouted "what happened?" I asked. "John is drowning!" he shouted.
"Coming!" I replied. "Hurry up!" Then, the phone went dead. I shouted for dad and mum to follow;
then we ran to the lake. I looked in horror. Where was John?
"he....he.... drowned!" Leo shouted. Dad jumped into search for John. The cold murky water surged
into Dad's ears and mouth. Dad came up, then disappeared underwater again. Seconds later, he
surfaced with John safe in his hands. He swam quickly and lowered John gently on the ground.
When John's eyes fluttered open, he seemed dazed. Dad sighed. Dad told us later, that he had to
swim with the powerful strokes. It was very difficult as the water was murky.
Once bitten twice shy, John decided not to go too dose to the edge of the lake again