idiom · informal

have a heart of gold

UK/həv ə hɑːt əv ɡəʊld/US/hæv ə hɑrt əv ɡoʊld/have·a·HEART·of·gold

speaking

to be very kind and generous

Examples

“Although she's shy, she has a heart of gold and always helps neighbours.”

“My grandmother has a heart of gold; she volunteers every weekend.”

“People say he has a heart of gold because he donates quietly.”

Band 8 sentence

“Despite his rough appearance, he has a heart of gold — he spends much of his free time helping refugees settle in.”

Collocations

  • have a heart of gold and
  • someone with a heart of gold
  • show a heart of gold

Word family

have a heart of gold idiom (base)has a heart of gold idiom (3rd sg)had a heart of gold idiom (past)

Common mistakes

She has heart of gold.→She has a heart of gold.

He has a golden heart.→He has a heart of gold.

Say it for a higher band

5be kind→6be kind-hearted→7+have a heart of gold

Synonyms

be kind-hearted

Easily confused

be kind-hearted

“She's kind-hearted and always thinks of others.”

Related words

be on cloud ninedown in the dumpson edgekeep a stiff upper lipwear one's heart on one's sleevelet off steamhead over heels (in love)be over the moon

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In Emotions

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