His heart was pounding in his chest.

Meaning: This sentence describes the boy's heart beating quickly and strongly in his chest.

Choice of Words: His heart is the organ that pumps blood throughout the body. Pounding means to beat or throb rapidly. Chest is the front part of the body between the neck and the abdomen.

Alternative Expressions

His heart was going boom-boom in his chest.

Meaning: This means the same as the first sentence. His heart was beating very fast and hard, like a drum. It's like when you're really excited or scared, and your heart feels like it's going to jump out of your chest.

Choice of Words: Boom-boom is a sound that imitates the sound of a heart beating. When you put them together, "His heart was going boom-boom in his chest" means that his heart was beating very fast and hard, like a drum.

His ticker was racing in his rib cage.

Meaning: This means the same as the first two sentences. His heart was beating very fast and hard, like a race car. It's like when you're really excited or scared, and your heart feels like it's going to jump out of your chest.

Choice of Words: Ticker is a slang term for the heart. Racing means to go very fast. Rib cage is the bones that protect your heart and lungs. When you put them together, "His ticker was racing in his rib cage" means that his heart was beating very fast and hard, like a race car.

Related Expressions