IDIOM:HAVE A HEART-How Can I Learn To Speak Fluent English Confidently? Grammar Lesson

Posted by Nash Biani 

How Can I Learn To Speak English Fluently And Confidently ?

have a heart

What is the meaning of this idiom?

How will it help us speak better English?

Speaking Idiomatic English For Better Fluency And Confidence

have a heart :

To be helpful, to think of others, to be generous, considerate and compassionate. To be kind to others. To show sympathy to others. To be forgiving.

Examples:

How To Speak English

1.’Have a heart, Harry. Give your small brother a cookie.’

Someone, probably Harry’s mother, is telling Harry to be kind to his younger brother and give him a cookie.

2. ‘Our boss is a bit of a slave driver but I must say he has a heart. When the chips are down, he is always ready to lend a helping hand to the employees of the company. He helped Barry with his daughter’s hospital bill which Barry couldn't have managed to pay.’

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The boss is very strict with his employees and makes them work hard. But he also has a generous nature and is willing to help people in trouble. He went out of his way to help one of his employees Barry who wasn't able to pay the bills when his daughter was in hospital. 

3. ‘Have a heart, folks! People have been left homeless by the floods. Let's all give whatever we can to help them.’

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There have been floods in some parts of the country and organisations working to help the survivors are asking for donations.  The speaker is asking people to be kind, generous and compassionate and to contribute whatever they can to help those who have lost their homes to the floods.

4. ‘Hey guys, have a heart! Let’s all chip in and buy these boys from the orphanage some stuff for their cricket.’

These are poor boys who are in an orphanage. They are fond of cricket so let’s be kind and generous to them and chip in to buy some cricket gear for them.

5. ‘I didn't have the heart to tell Myra she looked terrible in that fancy hairdo.’

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I didn't want to be rude or unkind to Myra. I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

When You Speak English: Some Things To Avoid When Using This Idiom

1. ‘Susan, don’t have a heart to tell Myra she looks terrible in that fancy hairdo.’ NOT CORRECT

Instead, say:

‘Have a heart, Susan. Don’t tell Myra she looks terrible in that fancy hairdo. CORRECT

You can’t tell someone not to ‘have a heart’.  Although you can say about someone that they didn't have the heart to do something rude or hurtful or to deny someone else something they wanted.

'Susan didn't have the heart to tell Myra she looked terrible in that fancy hairdo.' CORRECT

'Susan doesn't have the heart to tell Myra she looks terrible in that fancy hairdo.' CORRECT

2. ‘Our gardener is very old and can hardly work but my dad doesn't have the heart to ask him to leave.’ CORRECT

We can’t suggest to him:

‘Don’t have a heart, dad. Let the old man go.’ NOT CORRECT

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3. ‘Although my mom had told her not to give us too many cookies, my grandma didn't have the heart to refuse us whenever we asked her for some.’ CORRECT

But my mom shouldn't tell her: ‘Mother don’t have a heart. Don’t give them cookies all the time.’  NOT CORRECT

4. ‘Don't have a heart. Don't give them any money. They're trying to pull a fast one. They don't really run any charity for cancer patients.’  NOT CORRECT

‘Don't be taken in by these people. Don't give them any money. They're trying to pull a fast one. They don't really run any charity for cancer patients.’ CORRECT 

Idioms are fun to learn and can add sparkle to your language. Try some more idioms.