Down-to-earth means natural, unpretentious and sensible. It's praise for someone who behaves naturally and sees things in a practical way, even if they are rich or famous. About advice or an approach, it means practical, without unnecessary theory: a down-to-earth approach. The expression is neutral and works both in Speaking and in essays.
When would you say down-to-earth?
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be (very/really) down-to-earth; a down-to-earth + person/approach/attitude
- Our new manager is really down-to-earth and always listens to junior staff.
- I liked the tutor's down-to-earth advice: study a little every day and don't panic before the exam.
- The hotel owners were friendly and down-to-earth, and they told us where the locals eat.
What changed
First versionDespite her fame, the singer is very down to the earth.
RevisionDespite her fame, the singer is very down-to-earth.
The extra article comes from the earth, as in the name of the planet. But the idiom has no article. Before a noun it's written with hyphens (a down-to-earth person); after a verb you also see it without hyphens: she's very down to earth. The correction removes the and adds hyphens, as in the dictionary form.
Down-to-earth is a compliment: it doesn't suggest that someone is dull or lacks ambition. If you want to criticise someone for having no imagination, choose a different word, such as unimaginative: His plans are sensible but a bit unimaginative.
Your turn
Even after she became the CEO, Maria still takes the bus and has lunch with everyone in the office. She's so ___.
Show the answer
down-to-earth — Maria runs the company but still takes the bus and has lunch with everyone, so she has stayed unpretentious: she's down-to-earth. Big-headed means “arrogant, full of yourself”, and her behaviour shows the opposite.
Describe someone you know who has done well in life but has stayed unpretentious. Say what they do for a living and give one thing they do that shows it.
My uncle runs a large building company, but he's very down-to-earth: he still has lunch with the workers on site.
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