Stars & Destiny Idioms

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

When a journalist calls an athlete a rising star, or a critic declares that two leads have no chemistry — their stars simply didn't align, neither stops to consider they are borrowing a vocabulary built by astrologers who believed the heavens governed human destiny.

Grammar Reference · Stars & Destiny Idioms

Fixed meaning

An idiom's meaning cannot be guessed word by word. Their romance was written in the stars means it was destined — not literally inscribed anywhere.

Thank your lucky stars you weren't there. This is informal speech. In formal writing, say 'you were fortunate' instead.

Idioms in grammar

Idioms must fit their grammatical slot. She is a rising star (noun phrase). He shot for the stars (verb phrase). Form still matters.

Common error

They were star-cross lovers. ✗ → They were star-crossed lovers. ✓ Always use the full adjectival past participle form.

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Stars & Destiny Idioms

1.She when she spotted the famous novelist at the café counter.

2.After the tyre blew out at 100 km/h and he walked away unhurt, he spent an hour .

3.The two co-founders had incompatible visions from day one — their from the start.

4.Despite growing up with very little, the young engineer always .

5.Everyone in the documentary agreed: their first meeting felt .

6.The music press hailed the seventeen-year-old guitarist as of her generation.

02Exercise 2 — Find and Correct the Error

find the error · rewrite the sentence

1.She always shoots to the stars, which is admirable.

2.He thanked his lucky planets after the near-miss.

3.The two rivals were star-cross from the beginning.

4.Every actor in the audition room went completely stardazzled.

5.Their partnership felt written among the stars.

6.The critic described her as a raising star in theatre.

7.Things finally fell into place — their stars had agreed for them.

8.No algorithm will ever be aligned together with human destiny.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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