Original sentence
Reindeer can smell lichen even when it's hidden under snow.
What sounds good
The sentence is mostly correct. Here are two small tweaks you might consider:
- Comma use: No comma is needed after smell here, so the version without a comma is fine.
- Articles and specificity: The sentence is clear as written. If you want to be extra specific, you could say the lichen or lichen hidden beneath the snow, but this is optional.
Correct versions
- Reindeer can smell lichen even when it is hidden under snow.
- Reindeer can smell the lichen even when it is hidden beneath the snow.
Notes for kids
The sentence uses a simple present tense and a dependent clause even when it is hidden under snow to tell us more information about the smell. The apostrophe in it's can be tricky: it is contracted becomes it's. If you want to be formal, you can write it is instead of it's.