earthworm

Everyday

A long, soft, pink-brown worm without legs that lives in soil and eats dead leaves and bits of plants. tree →

In the lessons

In science, earthworms are invertebrates; they dig tunnels that let air and water into the soil and their droppings make it richer, so gardeners love them. They breathe through their moist skin, which is why they come up after heavy rain. Phrases: «earthworms in the soil», «worm farm».

Examples

• We found an earthworm when we dug the garden. tree →
• Earthworms help make the soil healthy. tree →
• After the rain, lots of earthworms were on the path. tree →
• An earthworm has no eyes, no legs and no bones. tree →
• Birds pull earthworms out of the lawn. tree →
• Put the earthworm back gently in the soil. tree →
• Our class worm farm turns food scraps into compost. tree →

Note

Countable: an earthworm (starts with a vowel sound, so «an»). Myth: if an earthworm is cut in half, it does not become two worms; usually the worm dies or only the head end may survive. Be gentle — their skin must stay damp.