From the Diary of Anne Frank
Idioms, dictionary skills and contractions
Use idioms, a dictionary and contracted forms correctly.
Idioms have fixed words and a meaning you can't get from the words alone:
- quaking in its boots: very frightened;
- lose heart: become discouraged;
- for ages: for a very long time;
- the joke was on him: he became the one laughed at;
- caught my eye: I suddenly noticed it;
- laugh ourselves silly: laugh a great deal;
- he'd had enough: he could not bear any more;
- can't bring myself to: can't make myself do it.
Finding an idiom in a dictionary. Look under the first meaningful word, in its base form. 'Caught my eye' is under catch, not 'caught' or 'my'.
'Heart' expressions. break somebody's heart; close / dear to your heart; from the bottom of your heart; have a heart (be kind); a heart of stone; your heart goes out to someone (you feel sorry for them).
Contractions. can't (cannot), I've (I have), she's (she is). They make writing sound like speech, so they suit diaries, plays and novels, not formal writing. Some have two full forms: I'd = I had or I would. The next word decides: 'I'd finished' (had), 'I'd go' (would).
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