Talking About Choices in English: Vocabulary, Idioms, Phrasal Verbs and Examples

Every day, we make choices. Some are small and routine, such as what to eat for breakfast or which film to watch. Others are far more important, such as choosing a career, moving abroad or ending a relationship. Some decisions are easy. Others involve doubt, risk, responsibility and even regret. Learning the language for talking about choices in English will help you express your thoughts more precisely and sound more natural in conversations, discussions and writing.

In this lesson, you will learn useful verbs, collocations, phrasal verbs and idioms connected with choices and decisions. The vocabulary is particularly useful for Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced Speaking and Writing tasks.

---

Basic Vocabulary for Talking About Choices in English

Choose

Meaning: to select one person, thing or action from several possibilities.

Common structures:

• choose something
• choose between A and B
• choose to do something

Examples:

• She chose the blue dress instead of the red one.
• You will have to choose between the two courses.

Decide

Meaning: to make a choice after considering the possibilities.

Common structures:

• decide something
• decide to do something
• decide between A and B
• decide against doing something
• decide whether to do something

Examples:

• He decided to accept the job offer.
• We have not decided where to go yet.

Do not use decide directly before a noun in the same way as choose.

Incorrect:

• I decided the blue dress.

Correct:

• I chose the blue dress.

Correct:

• I decided to buy the blue dress.

Pick

Meaning: to choose something, usually quickly or casually.

Tone: informal.

• Just pick whichever one you like.
• Can you pick a restaurant for tonight?

Select

Meaning: to choose something carefully or formally from a group.

Tone: formal or neutral.

• Please select one answer from the list.
• The committee selected three candidates for interview.

Go For

Meaning: to choose a particular option.

Tone: informal and very common.

• I think I’ll go for the chicken rather than the fish.
• She went for the more expensive model.

Opt For

Meaning: to choose a particular option deliberately.

Tone: more formal than go for.

• Many students opt for online courses.
• We opted for the earlier train.

We can also use opt to do something:

• Many graduates opt to work abroad.

Talking about Choices in English: Collocations 

Make a Choice

Meaning: to choose between two or more options.

• You will have to make a choice sooner or later.

Have No Choice

Meaning: to have no alternative.

The usual structure is:

have no choice but to do something

• I had no choice but to cancel the trip.

Be Spoilt for Choice

Meaning: to have so many good options that choosing becomes difficult.

• There are so many excellent restaurants that we are spoilt for choice.

In American English, spoiled for choice is also used.

A Difficult or Tough Choice

Meaning: a choice that is emotionally or practically difficult.

• Leaving my hometown was a difficult choice.

A Wise or Sensible Choice

Meaning: a choice based on good judgement.

• Saving part of your income is a sensible choice.

A Poor or Bad Choice

Meaning: a decision that leads to an unsatisfactory result.

• Investing all his money in one company was a poor choice.
• Looking back, leaving the course was a bad choice.

The Right or Wrong Choice

I hope I have made the right choice.

• She worried that she had made the wrong choice.
• There may not be one right choice in this situation.

A Personal Choice

• What people wear is usually a matter of personal choice.

A Lifestyle Choice

• Working from home is a lifestyle choice for some people.

 

Talking About Difficult Choices and Dilemmas in English

Be Torn Between A and B

Meaning: to find it very difficult to choose between two options.

The expression is followed by nouns or -ing forms.

• I’m torn between staying here and moving abroad.

Be in Two Minds

Meaning: to be uncertain about what to do.

• I’m in two minds about changing jobs.

In American English, be of two minds is more common.

Face a Dilemma

Meaning: to be in a situation in which every available choice is difficult.

• She faced a moral dilemma: tell the truth or protect her friend.

Strictly speaking, a dilemma usually involves two difficult alternatives, although it is often used more broadly in everyday English.

Weigh Up the Pros and Cons

Meaning: to consider the advantages and disadvantages carefully.

• I need to weigh up the pros and cons before deciding.

In American English, people often say weigh the pros and cons without up.

Consider Your Options

• Take some time to consider your options.

Keep Your Options Open

Meaning: to avoid making a final decision so that several possibilities remain available.

• I have applied to several universities because I want to keep my options open.

Sleep On It

Meaning: to wait until the following day before making a decision.

• Let me sleep on it and give you my answer tomorrow.

Phrasal Verbs for Choices and Decisions

Rule Out

Meaning: to decide that something is impossible, unsuitable or unlikely.

• We can rule out buying a house this year.

Narrow Down

Meaning: to reduce the number of possible choices.

• We have narrowed the list down to three candidates.

Settle On

Meaning: to make a final choice after considering several possibilities.

• We finally settled on a small hotel near the beach.

Settle For

Meaning: to accept something that is less satisfactory than what you originally wanted.

• We wanted a large flat but had to settle for a smaller one.

Do not confuse settle on and settle for:

• We settled on the Italian restaurant.
• We settled for a table near the kitchen because the restaurant was full.

Stick With

Meaning: to continue with a choice, plan or opinion.

• I think I’ll stick with my original idea.

End Up

Meaning: to finally be in a particular situation, often unexpectedly.

• I could not decide, so I ended up choosing the third option.

Back Out of Something

Meaning: to decide not to do something you had previously agreed to do.

• He backed out of the deal at the last moment.

Go Ahead With

Meaning: to proceed with a plan or decision.

• They decided to go ahead with the wedding.

Think Something Over

Meaning: to consider something carefully before deciding.

• I need some time to think the offer over.

Turn Down

Meaning: to refuse an offer, invitation or opportunity.

• He turned down the job because the salary was too low.

Idioms about Choices and Decisions

Be at a Crossroads

Meaning: to be at an important stage in life when you must choose between different paths.

• The company is at a crossroads and must decide what direction to take.

Take the Plunge

Meaning: to finally do something difficult, important or risky.

• She took the plunge and started her own business.

Go with Your Gut

Meaning: to follow your instincts rather than relying only on logic.

• I went with my gut and accepted the offer.

We can also say trust your instincts.

Sit on the Fence

Meaning: to avoid choosing between two sides or expressing a clear opinion.

• He is sitting on the fence and refusing to choose sides.

A No-Brainer

Meaning: a choice that is extremely easy or obvious.

Tone: informal.

• Accepting the scholarship was a no-brainer.

Roll the Dice

Meaning: to take a risk and hope for a favourable result.

• Leaving a secure job without another one lined up was a real roll of the dice.

The Lesser of Two Evils

Meaning: the less unpleasant of two bad options.

• Neither candidate impressed me, so I chose the lesser of two evils.

Take the Easy Way Out

Meaning: to choose the easiest solution, often instead of doing what is right or responsible.

• He took the easy way out and blamed someone else.

Have the Best of Both Worlds

Meaning: to enjoy the advantages of two different situations at the same time.

• Working remotely allows her to have the best of both worlds.

---

Talking about Choices in English: Expressing Preference

Choices and preferences are closely connected.

Prefer A to B

• I prefer working from home to commuting every day.

Would Prefer to Do Something

• I’d prefer to wait until tomorrow.

Would Rather Do A Than Do B

• She would rather save the money than spend it on a holiday.

Be More Inclined to

Meaning: to be more likely or willing to choose something.

• I’m more inclined to accept the second offer.

Talking about Consequences and Responsibility

Deal with the Consequences

Meaning: to accept and manage the results of a choice or action.

• You made the decision, so now you must deal with the consequences.

Face the Consequences

• Anyone who breaks the rules must face the consequences.

Take Responsibility For

Meaning: to accept that something is your duty or fault.

• He refused to take responsibility for what had happened.

Pay the Price

Meaning: to suffer because of a bad decision or action.

• He paid the price for years of careless spending.

Live with Your Decision

Meaning: to accept a decision and its consequences.

• There is no going back now; you will have to live with your decision.

Stand by Your Decision

Meaning: to continue supporting a decision despite criticism.

• He insists that he made the right choice and stands by his decision.

---

Talking about Regret and Second Thoughts

Regret Doing Something

Use regret + -ing when you feel sorry about a past action.

• I regret leaving school so early.
• She regretted turning down the opportunity.
• He deeply regrets what he said.

Regret to Do Something

Regret to inform, announce, say or tell is used in formal English when giving bad news.

• We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.

Compare:

• I regret telling him.
• I regret to tell you that he has resigned.

Have Second Thoughts

Meaning: to begin doubting a decision.

• I’m having second thoughts about moving.

Change Your Mind

• I was going to stay at home, but I changed my mind.

Wish + Past Perfect

Use wish + had or hadn’t + past participle to express regret about the past.

• I wish I had listened to your advice.
• She wishes she had not left so early.
• We wish we had chosen a different hotel.

Should Have or Shouldn’t Have

Use should have + past participle to criticise or regret a past action.

• I should have thought more carefully.
• We should not have made such a quick decision.

If Only

If only expresses a strong wish or regret.

• If only I had chosen differently.

Useful Exam-Style Phrases for Discussing Choices

Take Something into Account

Meaning: to consider something before making a decision.

• You should take all the relevant factors into account.

Bear Something in Mind

Meaning: to remember and consider an important fact.

• Bear in mind that the cheapest option may not be the best.

The Advantages Outweigh the Disadvantages

Meaning: the benefits are greater than the problems.

• In this case, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

From a Long-Term Perspective

Meaning: considering the future rather than only the immediate situation.

• From a long-term perspective, this may be the wisest decision.

On Balance

Meaning: after considering all sides of an issue.

• On balance, I think the second option is more practical.

All Things Considered

• All things considered, staying where we are may be the best choice.

The Most Viable Option

Meaning: the option most likely to succeed or work effectively.

• Expanding gradually appears to be the most viable option.

A Compromise Solution

• A compromise solution may satisfy both sides.

There Is No Easy Answer

• There is no easy answer to this dilemma.

---

Talking about Choices in English: Discussion Questions 

The following questions will help you practise talking about choices in English using the vocabulary from the lesson.

1. What is the most difficult decision you have ever made?
2. Do you usually follow your instincts or weigh up the pros and cons?
3. Have you ever made a snap decision that you later regretted?
4. Are you good at making decisions under pressure?
5. When was the last time you were torn between two options?
6. Have you ever backed out of an agreement?
7. Do you prefer to keep your options open or make decisions quickly?
8. Have you ever taken the plunge and made a major life change?
9. What factors should people take into account when choosing a career?
10. Is it better to make a safe choice or roll the dice occasionally?
11. Have you ever had second thoughts after making an important decision?
12. Do you find it easy to live with your decisions?
13. When might taking the easy way out be acceptable?
14. What decisions can genuinely be described as life-changing?
15. Do you agree that not making a decision is sometimes a decision in itself?

Model Answer

A few years ago, I was at a crossroads in my career. I was torn between staying in a secure job and taking the plunge by starting my own business. At first, I was in two minds because both options had clear advantages. I decided to sleep on it and carefully weigh up the pros and cons. From a long-term perspective, becoming self-employed seemed like the most rewarding option. In the end, I went with my gut and handed in my notice. I had second thoughts at first, but I now believe that I made the right choice.

---

Final Thoughts

Learning vocabulary for talking about choices in English will help you discuss decisions, alternatives, risks and regrets with greater confidence.

Remember these useful combinations:

• make a choice
• reach a decision
• weigh up the pros and cons
• keep your options open
• be torn between two alternatives
• have second thoughts
• take responsibility for a decision
• live with the consequences

Some choices are simple, while others may change the course of your life. Whatever you decide, having the right vocabulary will help you explain your reasoning clearly and convincingly.

And improving your English vocabulary?

That one really is a no-brainer.

Related posts:

• Expressing Preference in English 
• How to Express Doubt in English 
• Should Have and Shouldn’t Have 
• 20 Polite and Advanced Phrases for Making Suggestions in English 
• Vocabulary for Negotiation and Persuasion
• Discussion Phrases in English 
• B2 First Vocabulary

Visit our bookshop for more