IDIOMS

SPEAK GENTLY
David Bates

Speak gently; it is better far

To rule by love than fear,
Speak gently; let no harsh word mar
The good we may do here.

Speak gently to the little child;

It’s love be sure to gain;
Teach it in accents soft and mild,
It may not long remain.

Speak gently to the aged one;

Grieve not the care-worn heart,
Whose sands of life are nearly run;
Let such in peace depart.

Speak gently; it’s a little thing

Dropped in the heart’s deep well;
The good the joy that it may bring
Eternity shall tell.
What is the poem all about?

…‘Tis a little thing dropped in the heart’s deep well

… rule by love; rule by fear
… it’s love be sure to gain
… teach in accents soft and mild
… care-worn heart
… sands of life are nearly run
… let such in peace depart
… heart’s deep well
… eternity shall tell
How do we learn the meaning of each phrase? What help us
understand it?
We learn the meaning of phrases through the context of
the poem. These phrases are called idioms.

What are the importance of idioms?

Choose the correct meaning of the underlined idiom from the
box.
1. Mila is the teacher’s apple of the eye. She has been with
the teacher’s favorite lists.
2. Do not disturb Juan in his room. He is in his breathing
spell.
3. Mother always prepares nest egg for emergency use.
4. I will give you a ring as soon as you arrive home.
5. The boys was not prepared for their lessons. He went to
school and get ready to face the music.
a. accept the challenge
b. favorite one
c. a period of rest
d. money set aside or save for the future
e. a period of rest
CHOOSE THE WORD OR PHRASE THAT BEST
DESCRIBE THE IDIOMS IN THE SENTENCE
Identify the correct meaning of the idiom used in the following sentences. Get
your answer from the box.
A. with all one’s love F. almost identical
B. very much attractedG. very well organized; in good order
C. favorite H. has good knowledge about something one is supposed to
know
D. Change of decision I. became crazy or angry
E. show one’s feeling clearly J. favorite K. in trouble
___________________1.Don’t wear your heart on your sleeves.
___________________2.By the end of the month, she had a change of heart.
___________________3.He is a student after my own heart.
___________________4.She lost her heart to the boy next door.
___________________5. This gift is given with all my heart.
___________________6. We were going along all right until these changes
came upon us. When the last one happened, we went bananas.
___________________7.My friend accepted two invitations for the same
evening. She really got herself in a pickle.
__________________8. Little Ruthie’s grandfather talks about her all the time.
She is the apple of his eye.
__________________9. I think Joseph will do a good job. He really knows his
onion.
__________________10. Her place is so neat. Everything is in apple-pie order.