Writing is something we do every day at school and at home. Sometimes, people use special sayings called idioms to talk about writing. Idioms make our sentences more interesting. They do this by showing our ideas in a different way. Instead of saying exactly what we mean, we use idioms to paint a picture with words.
In this article, you will learn some idioms about writing. You will find out what each idiom means and how to use it correctly. You will also try rewriting sentences using these idioms. Learning these idioms can help your writing become clear and enjoyable to read. Let’s discover some common writing idioms together.
Idioms about Writing
1. Put pen to paper
Meaning: To begin writing something.
Example: Mia decided to put pen to paper and write a letter to her grandma in After planning his story, Jackson finally put pen to paper.
Put Differently:Mia started writing a letter to her grandma in Florida.
2. Read between the lines
Meaning: To understand hidden meanings or hints in writing.
Example: “The note didn’t say he was upset, but I could read between the lines,” said Alex. Sarah read between the lines and knew her friend felt sad, even though the message seemed happy.
Put Differently: Alex understood the hidden meaning behind the note. Sarah realized her friend’s true feelings.
3. Hit the books
Meaning: To study seriously or very hard.
Example: Jacob has to hit the books because his spelling test is tomorrow. Lily hit the books to prepare for her science project.
Put Differently: Jacob needs to study hard for his spelling test. Lily studied seriously for her science project.
4. Turn over a new leaf
Meaning: To start fresh or change habits, especially with writing or schoolwork.
Example: After getting low grades, Emma decided to turn over a new leaf. Mark promised to turn over a new leaf and finish his homework each night.
Put Differently: Emma decided to start fresh after getting bad grades. Mark chose to improve his habits and complete homework nightly.
5. Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation or make writing more comfortable.
Example: The teacher wrote a joke on the board to break the ice on the first day of class. Zoe used a funny greeting card to break the ice before writing a long letter to her cousin.
Put Differently: The teacher used a joke to help everyone feel relaxed. Zoe started her letter with humor to feel comfortable.
6. Pencil something in
Meaning: To make a note or schedule something that might change.
Example: Dad penciled in a camping trip for next weekend, depending on the weather. Ms. Baker penciled in the field trip date on the class calendar.
Put Differently: Dad scheduled the camping trip but might change it later.
7. Black and white
Meaning: Clearly written or easy to understand.
Example: The rules of the game are written in black and white. / The assignment instructions were in black and white on the board.
Put Differently: The game rules are clear and easy to understand. / The assignment instructions were clearly written.
8. Get your thoughts down
Meaning: To write ideas before forgetting them.
Example: Noah grabbed a notebook to get his thoughts down before they disappeared. / When thinking of ideas for the essay, Ava quickly got her thoughts down.
Put Differently: Noah wrote his ideas quickly so he wouldn’t forget. / Ava wrote down her ideas before she forgot them.
9. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To explain something perfectly or clearly in writing.
Example: Liam’s report hit the nail on the head, and the teacher gave him an A+. / Charlotte hit the nail on the head in her poem about friendship.
Put Differently: Liam explained perfectly in his report. / Charlotte’s poem described friendship exactly right.
10. Dot the i’s and cross the t’s
Meaning: To be careful with details in writing.
Example: Mom said, “Dot your i’s and cross your t’s” when checking my homework. / Tyler always dots the i’s and crosses the t’s before turning in an essay.
Put Differently: Mom reminded me to check my homework carefully. / Tyler pays attention to all details before submitting essays.
11. Draw a blank
Meaning: Unable to think or remember what to write.
Example: Maria drew a blank when starting her story. / Ethan drew a blank on question three of the math test.
Put Differently: Maria couldn’t think of anything to write. / Ethan couldn’t remember the answer for question three.
12. Lost for words
Meaning: Not knowing what to write or say.
Example: Chloe was lost for words when trying to write about her summer vacation. / Lucas was lost for words during the class presentation.
Put Differently: Chloe didn’t know what to write about her vacation. / Lucas couldn’t think of what to say in front of the class.
13. The writing on the wall
Meaning: A sign that something will happen.
Example: After not studying, the writing was on the wall that Ben would fail the test. / The writing was on the wall when Jenna saw storm clouds and knew soccer practice would be canceled.
Put Differently: It was clear Ben would fail after not studying. / Jenna saw signs that practice would not happen.
14. Start from scratch
Meaning: Begin again from the beginning.
Example: When her story got deleted, Olivia had to start from scratch. / After spilling paint on his poster, Max had to start from scratch.
Put Differently: Olivia had to start her story again from the beginning. / Max had to redo his poster completely.
15. Off the top of your head
Meaning: Writing or saying something without planning or notes.
Example: “Off the top of my head, I think the book was about dinosaurs,” said Ryan. / Without notes, Amelia wrote her speech off the top of her head.
Put Differently: Ryan answered quickly without checking notes. / Amelia wrote her speech from memory, without preparation.
16. Get your wires crossed
Meaning: To become confused, especially about writing instructions.
Example: We got our wires crossed about the due date of the book report. / Liam and Emma got their wires crossed and wrote about the wrong topic.
Put Differently: We were confused about the date the book report was due. / Liam and Emma misunderstood and chose the wrong topic.
17. On the same page
Meaning: To understand or agree about writing or ideas.
Example: The class was on the same page about the project rules. / After talking, Ben and Sara were finally on the same page.
Put Differently: The class agreed about the project instructions. / Ben and Sara understood each other clearly.
18. Writer’s block
Meaning: Trouble thinking of what to write.
Example: Ella had writer’s block and couldn’t start her essay. / Jake had writer’s block when writing a birthday card to his friend.
Put Differently: Ella couldn’t think of what to write in her essay. / Jake had difficulty writing his friend’s birthday card.
19. Rough draft
Meaning: The first version of something written.
Example: Harper’s rough draft needed corrections before turning it in. / Jackson wrote a rough draft of his book report.
Put Differently: Harper’s first writing needed fixing. / Jackson wrote his first version of the report.
20. Fine print
Meaning: Small, important details often overlooked in writing.
Example: Always read the fine print before signing anything. / Emma found important details in the fine print of the field trip permission form.
Put Differently: Always check the small details carefully. / Emma noticed important information in the permission slip’s small writing.
21. Signed, sealed, and delivered
Meaning: Something is completely finished or done.
Example: After finishing her homework, Sophia said, “Signed, sealed, and delivered.” / Ethan’s science project was signed, sealed, and delivered the night before it was due.
Put Differently: Sophia had completed her homework entirely. / Ethan fully finished his project before the deadline.
22. Cut to the chase
Meaning: Get quickly to the main point.
Example: The teacher asked us to cut to the chase when answering questions. / Mia decided to cut to the chase and explain her problem clearly.
Put Differently: The teacher wanted us to quickly give the important information. / Mia got straight to her main point.
23. Speak volumes
Meaning: To say a lot about something without using many words.
Example: His smile spoke volumes about how proud he felt of his story. / The drawings in Ava’s notebook speak volumes about her love for art.
Put Differently: His smile showed exactly how proud he was. / Ava’s drawings clearly showed her passion for art.
24. To the letter
Meaning: Follow instructions exactly as they are written.
Example: Zoe followed the recipe to the letter and baked a perfect cake. / Mason completed the assignment to the letter, making no mistakes.
Put Differently: Zoe carefully followed each instruction exactly. / Mason finished the assignment perfectly by following instructions closely.
25. Throw the book at someone
Meaning: To give someone a harsh punishment or strong correction.
Example: The principal threw the book at Ben for copying homework. / Dad threw the book at Lily for staying up late instead of finishing her essay.
Put Differently: The principal gave Ben a tough punishment. / Dad gave Lily strict discipline for not completing her work.
26. Word for word
Meaning: Exactly as written or said.
Example: Hannah memorized her poem word for word. / Oliver copied the sentence word for word into his notebook.
Put Differently: Hannah remembered each word perfectly. / Oliver wrote down the sentence exactly as it appeared.
27. Write something off
Meaning: To give up or decide something isn’t worth it.
Example: Max decided to write off his idea after thinking it wasn’t strong enough. / After struggling, Nora wrote off trying to finish the puzzle.
Put Differently: Max gave up on his idea. / Nora decided finishing the puzzle wasn’t worth the effort.
28. Write home about
Meaning: Something worth telling or writing about because it’s special.
Example: The pizza wasn’t anything to write home about. / The new movie was great; it was definitely something to write home about.
Put Differently: The pizza wasn’t special enough to mention. / The new movie was good enough to tell others.
29. Set in stone
Meaning: Something that is definite or cannot be changed.
Example: The date of the field trip isn’t set in stone yet. / The final exam schedule is set in stone and won’t change.
Put Differently: The field trip date isn’t fixed yet. / The final exam dates are final.
30. Open book
Meaning: Someone or something easy to understand, with no secrets.
Example: Grace is an open book; she always shares her feelings honestly. / The quiz should be an open book if you studied.
Put Differently: Grace is easy to understand and honest. / The quiz is simple if you did your homework.
31. Cook the books
Meaning: To write false information.
Example: The store manager got in trouble for cooking the books. / You should never cook the books to improve your grades.
Put Differently: The manager got in trouble for lying about the money records. / Never write fake information to boost your grades.
32. Ghostwriter
Meaning: Someone who writes for another person without being known.
Example: The celebrity hired a ghostwriter to write his biography. / Mom joked she was my ghostwriter when helping with my story.
Put Differently: The celebrity had someone else secretly write his biography. / Mom teased that she secretly wrote my story.
33. Turn the page
Meaning: To move on or start fresh.
Example: After losing the soccer match, Jack chose to turn the page. / Bella decided to turn the page and stop worrying about her mistake.
Put Differently: Jack decided to move past the loss. / Bella wanted a fresh start after her error.
34. By the book
Meaning: Following all rules exactly.
Example: Our teacher expects us to do our homework by the book. / Police officers must always act by the book.
Put Differently: Our teacher wants homework done exactly as instructed. / Police must follow all the rules carefully.
35. Bookmark something
Meaning: To save or remember something important.
Example: Emma bookmarked her favorite recipe website. / Noah bookmarked the chapter where he stopped reading.
Put Differently: Emma saved her favorite recipe site. / Noah marked the spot to remember his reading place.
36. Flip through
Meaning: Quickly look through pages without careful reading.
Example: Olivia flipped through the magazine to find pictures of puppies. / Dad flipped through the newspaper during breakfast.
Put Differently: Olivia quickly looked through pages to find puppy pictures. / Dad quickly skimmed the newspaper.
37. Paper trail
Meaning: Written proof or evidence.
Example: The emails created a paper trail that showed Mia turned in her assignment. / The teacher kept a paper trail of grades to prove students’ progress.
Put Differently: Emails showed clear proof Mia completed her work. / The teacher had written proof of students’ progress.
38. In print
Meaning: Published or officially written down.
Example: Zoe was excited to see her poem in print in the school newspaper. / The recipe was in print in a famous cookbook.
Put Differently: Zoe saw her poem published officially. / The recipe was officially published.
39. Mark my words
Meaning: Remember what I’m saying because it will happen.
Example: “Mark my words,” said Lucas, “I’ll win the spelling bee.” / Mom said, “Mark my words, it will rain today.”
Put Differently: Lucas wanted others to remember he promised he’d win. / Mom said everyone should remember her prediction of rain.
40. Take note
Meaning: Pay attention or remember something.
Example: The coach told the team to take note of the new game strategy. / “Take note,” said Dad, “we’re leaving at 8:00 tomorrow morning.”
Put Differently: The coach asked the team to remember the strategy. / Dad wanted everyone to remember the departure time.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Idioms about Writing
Below are 10 sentences expressing feelings or situations about aging without using idioms. Your task is to rewrite each sentence using one of the idioms from the previous sections. Be sure to make the new sentences sound natural and keep the meaning the same.
Sentences to Rewrite
- Emily started writing a Valentine’s Day card for her best friend.
- The class rules were very clear and easy to understand.
- After not studying, we all knew Sam would fail the quiz.
- Julia couldn’t remember what to write for her homework.
- Aiden studied very hard for the science test.
- Mom told us to carefully check every detail on the permission slip.
- Leah memorized the whole poem exactly.
- The date of the class party isn’t decided yet.
- The cookies Emma baked weren’t special enough to tell everyone.
- Dad always reads the newspaper quickly during breakfast.
Answer Key
- Emily put pen to paper and wrote a Valentine’s Day card for her best friend.
- The class rules were written in black and white.
- After not studying, the writing was on the wall that Sam would fail the quiz.
- Julia drew a blank on her homework.
- Aiden hit the books for the science test.
- Mom told us to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on the permission slip.
- Leah memorized the poem word for word.
- The date of the class party isn’t set in stone yet.
- The cookies Emma baked weren’t anything to write home about.
- Dad always flips through the newspaper during breakfast.
Conclusion
Idioms about writing help make your sentences clearer and more interesting. They add meaning and can show your ideas in new ways. Using idioms correctly makes your writing easy to read and understand. Try adding some of these idioms the next time you write a letter, a story, or an assignment at school. With practice, you’ll quickly become more comfortable using idioms in everyday writing.
