Take a leaf out of someone's book means copying a good habit or method from another person. I took a leaf out of Ana's book and started planning meals: I followed her example. A leaf here is a page of a book, not part of a tree: you tear a page out of someone else's experience. People usually copy one useful thing.
When would you say take a leaf out of someone's book?
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take a leaf out of + person's + book
- I took a leaf out of Ana's book and started planning meals before shopping.
- Our club could take a leaf out of their book and invite local artists.
- He took a leaf out of his sister's book and kept a small travel journal.
What changed
First versionWe should take a leaf out of Sam book and label the boxes.
RevisionWe should take a leaf out of Sam's book and label the boxes.
In fast speech the 's after a name is easy to swallow: Sam book. But English shows ownership with 's, and without it Sam book sounds like a book called Sam. Adding 's gives take a leaf out of Sam's book.
Copy someone means imitating, sometimes as a criticism: Stop copying me! Take a leaf out of someone's book is approving: the example is a good one. Take an example from someone isn't natural English; say follow someone's example or take a leaf out of their book.
Your turn
You want to copy one useful habit of Nina's. Take a leaf out of ___ book.
Show the answer
Nina's — You need Nina's: the 's shows whose book it is, meaning whose example you follow. Without 's, the name isn't connected to book.
Write about a useful habit you picked up, or want to pick up, from someone you know.
I took a leaf out of my colleague's book and now write down decisions before leaving a meeting.
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