Grammar fix
hand down
pass to the next generation
to give or leave something, such as knowledge, traditions, or possessions, to people who come after you, especially younger family members or future generations.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
My grandmother handed down her wedding ring to my mother, and one day it will be mine.
In many cultures, important values and customs are handed down through generations, which helps to preserve a sense of identity.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: These skills were handed down to next generations.
Say: These skills were handed down to the next generation.
Usually 'the next generation' (singular), or the set phrase 'from generation to generation'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Hand down' is the natural verb for passing things to later generations. 'Transmitted through successive generations' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
hand down
- a tradition
- an heirloom
- stories
- the recipe