Text only Version of the Online Writing Lab
St. Louis Community College - Meramec
"She sings at the top of her lungs."
On an interpretive level this means... She sings loudly to drown out background music.
Incorrect. On an interpretive level using the word top in the context of an action we assume the action is at full intensity. We cannot draw the conclusion that she is singing with the purpose of drowning out music in the background.