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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Follow in someone’s footsteps

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

Do something similar to what another person did before you, especially in a career.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. I followed in my aunt’s footsteps and trained as a chef.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

Do something similar to what another person did before you, especially in a career.
Show the answer

Follow in someone’s footsteps — Do something similar to what another person did before you, especially in a career.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Follow in someone’s footsteps” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

Do something similar to what another person did before you, especially in a career.

Compare: I followed in my aunt’s footsteps and trained as a chef.

Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use this expression when discussing someone’s influence on another person’s path. It is common in conversation and profiles of people’s careers.

More examples in context

  • Arun hopes to follow in his mentor’s footsteps by opening a community workshop.
  • Neither sister wanted to follow in their father’s footsteps.

Usage note

Use a possessive such as “her footsteps” or the pattern “the footsteps of someone”. Following a career path does not mean copying every choice that person made.

A short conversation

A: What made you choose architecture?
B: My grandmother designed houses, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps.
A: Did she help you with your first drawings?

One more practice question

Who is following in a relative’s footsteps?

A. A student who chooses an unrelated career with no such influence.
B. A student who becomes a nurse, as their uncle did before them.

Check your answer

B. Choosing the same profession as the uncle illustrates following his path.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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