What does “keeps her grounded” mean in English?

American Idol homecoming for Pensacola singer Keyla Richardson

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B1 English listening practice · American English · Picked for people who know some

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keeps her grounded
American success idiom
When fame does not change who you are, people say you stay “grounded” — connected to your family and where you come from.

If someone becomes famous but stays humble and does not forget their family or where they grew up, you can say they are “grounded.” The word comes from the idea of staying connected to the ground — not losing touch with where you are from. You can also say something “keeps you grounded,” meaning it helps you stay the same person. For example: “She travels a lot, but her family keeps her grounded.”

In this clip, a local TV news reporter in Pensacola, Florida reports on singer Keyla Richardson, who has reached the top three on American Idol. Her mother is interviewed and says it is not only faith that keeps Keyla grounded — it is family. The word works in many situations: “His old friends keep him grounded,” or “Travelling helps me feel grounded.” You can also use “grounded” on its own as an adjective: “She is very grounded for someone so young.” This is a common and natural word in American English.

How common are the words?

How common are the words in this B1 English listening practice video?

91.3%
of words are in the top 2,000 most common English words
Most of the words in this video are common English words.

How common in written English

85.8%
Top 1,000
91.3%
Top 2,000
95.3%
Top 5,000

How common in spoken English

91%
Top 1,000
97.8%
Top 2,000
100%
Top 5,000
👄 Words for talking
This video uses words people often say in English.

Harder words in this video

These words are harder than B1. Here is what they mean.

pensacola
4×
Not in top 5,000
a city in Florida
homecoming
1×
Not in top 5,000
return home celebration
lifting up
1×
supporting and encouraging someone emotionally

Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.

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