This lesson suits intermediate learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz.
Learning notes
Language objective:
How to talk about easy and difficult decisions.
Different phrases to use when making a decision:
- I entertained that idea.
- I’m keeping my options open.
- I go with my gut feeling.
- I’d like to pick your brains.
- Have you figured it out?
- Have you worked it out yet?
- Have you weighed [up] the pros and cons of each option?
Different phrases to use when we have decided:
- I’ve made up my mind.
- I’ve made a snap decision.
- I’ve settled on ...
- I’ve opted for ...
Different phrases to use when we cannot decide:
- I’m having second thoughts.
- I’m torn between ...
- I'm struggling to choose.
- It's a tough decision.
Colloquial expressions:
To pick your brains means someone wants to ask for your insights or advice on a particular issue or topic.
To go with your gut feeling means to trust or follow one’s instincts.
To make a snap decision means to decide quickly.
A tough decision is a decision that is difficult to make.
A tough call is a tough decision.
To have second thoughts means to change your mind or start to feel unsure about a decision you have already made.
To weigh [up] the pros and cons means to consider the advantages and disadvantages of a situation before making a decision.
Vocabulary:
To contemplate means to deeply think about something for an extended period.
A decision is a choice made between different options or possibilities.
A dilemma is a difficult situation or when a difficult choice must be made.
Indecisive means often finding it difficult to make decisions.
An opinion is a thought or judgement formed about something. It is a personal view that is not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
To opt for something means to choose it from a range of possibilities.
Options refers to the choices or alternatives that are available for a particular decision or situation.
Uncertain means not being sure about something.
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia.
Have you ever wondered how many choices we make in our everyday lives? Sometimes they are simple … what will I eat for lunch? And sometimes they are more difficult … like … How should I vote? Should I get a pet? Our lives are full of decisions!
Yes or No?
Oo o Hindi? (Filipino)
Ja, Nein? (German)
是？或者不是？(Mandarin)
Bale Ya Kheyr? (Persian)
เห็นด้วย ไม่เห็นด้วย (Thai)
Josipa, for example, has decided to go on a vacation, and that's why I'm here to guide you today.
My name is TJ, and today, we'll practise how to talk about decisions.
A decision is a choice or selection that you make after thinking about different possibilities.
So, when Josipa asked me to be your host, I was excited at first. Then, I began to feel unsure. I had second thoughts about it because English is not my first language, and I was afraid that I might disappoint you.
If you are having second thoughts, it means that you are changing your mind or starting to feel unsure about a decision you have already made. It's like questioning if you made the right choice or if there might be some better choice you should have made.
But now I’m here, I think I’ve made the right choice. So let’s begin ... with Claire and Allan as usual.
Imagine it's a busy morning in the city. Claire and Allan decide to take a break from work and step outside during their lunchtime to discuss the decisions they've made for their upcoming holidays.
Claire
I’ve made up my mind. I’m visiting Uluru this year. Have you figured out where you’ll be going?
Allan
I’ve settled on driving the Great Ocean Road. I’ve never done it.
Claire
Me neither. I entertained that idea as well, but ended up making a snap decision because I found a great deal!
Allan
Lucky you! I opted for a short trip because of my budget. I kept my options open until the very last minute, hoping to find a great holiday package deal like you have. But I didn’t so …
Both, Claire and Allan talked about their holiday decisions, but we can use the same phrases in a lot of everyday situations. Let’s hear them again. First Claire said,
I’ve made up my mind I’m visiting Uluru this year.
If you have made up your mind, you’ve finally decided on something after thinking about it for a while. It's like when you've considered all of your options and chosen what you want to do or choose.
When you say the word 'options', it refers to the choices or alternatives that are available for a particular decision or situation.
And if you want to ask someone if they have decided on something you can say,
Have you figured out where you’ll be going?
If you have figured out something, you’ve understood or found a solution. You can also use it when you have finally made a choice about something, as Claire has.
Have you worked it out yet?
This means the same thing. It's like checking if they have figured out a problem or puzzle.
Allan has also figured out where he’ll be going,
I’ve settled on driving the Great Ocean Road.
When you settle on something, you choose one option from among several different options.
I entertained that idea as well but ended up making a snap decision because I found a great deal!Claire
If you are entertaining an idea, you are considering it as a possibility for your decision.
Claire found a fantastic holiday deal, which led her to make a snap decision. That means she decided very quickly. The word ‘snap’ refers to this sound [finger click] that you can make with your fingers. The sound is short, sharp and quick … so you can understand why it’s called a snap decision, right?
I opted for a short trip because of my budget. I kept my options open until the very last minute, hoping to find a great holiday package deal like you did.Allan
Allan used the words 'opt' and 'option' in two separate phrases.
First, he said,
I’ve opted for a short trip because of my budget.
When you opt for something, you choose that thing from among other options.
I kept my options open until the last minute.Allan
When you keep your options open, you are waiting before you make a final decision about something in case you want to make a different choice a little later. It’s like you are allowing for the possibility of having a different choice.
There will be times when decision-making is easy, but there are moments when it is not so easy. In situations like these, you might be indecisive.
If you say someone is indecisive, they have difficulty making a decision.
Now, let’s imagine that Allan and Claire are on the train going home after work. And Claire is trying to decide how to celebrate her birthday.
Claire
I’d like to pick your brains about something. I can’t decide what to do for my birthday. I’m torn between two different options.
Allan
Well, when I can't decide, I usually go with my gut feeling. What’s your dilemma?
Claire
I'm struggling to choose between having a small gathering with friends or going on a day trip.
Allan
I see what you mean. It's a tough decision. I guess you’ve weighed up the pros and cons of each option. What are you thinking?
What do you think Clare should do on her birthday? Anyway, it’s not up to us to decide.
Let’s review the phrases used to talk about indecision or someone who cannot make a decision.
I’d like to pick your brains about something. I can’t decide what to do for my birthday. I’m torn between two options.Claire
Here, Claire said 'I’d like to pick your brains'. If someone wants to pick your brains, that person is asking for an advice or insight on a particular issue or topic.
Claire is asking for advice because she is torn between two options. If you are torn between two options, you are finding it very difficult to choose between two possibilities.
Allan then said,
When I can't decide, I usually go with my gut feeling. What’s your dilemma?
Your ‘gut’ is your stomach. So a ‘gut feeling’ is like the opposite of your brain deciding. So, when Allan said he went with his gut feeling, he meant he trusts his instincts.
Allan also used the word 'dilemma'. When someone talks about a dilemma, they're describing a tough choice they have to make.
I'm struggling to choose between having a small gathering with friends or going on a day trip.Claire
If you say that you are struggling to choose, you are finding it difficult to make a decision.
It's a tough decision. Have you weighed up the pros and cons?Allan
When you say someone weighed [up] the pros and cons of each option, it means that they have carefully considered the advantages and disadvantages of a situation before making a decision.
Well, life is full of tough decisions, isn't it?
Some you might regret, while others turn out to be very positive.
I remember that I was very uncertain about my decision to migrate to Australia from The Philippines, and it took me a year to weigh up the pros and cons. However, I believe it was all worth it.
Okay. As you know, Josipa is on holidays … but I’m sure she won’t mind if we give her a ring …
Josipa
Hello? TJ? Is everything alright?
TJ
Hello, Josipa, okay. Don’t panic, everything’s fine at the moment. I just wanted to talk to you for some other reason, not about this podcast. Is that okay?
Josipa
Yeah, sure!
TJ
Okay, anyway, I wanted to talk to you about decisions because that is our topic at the moment. I just wanted to know when you migrated to Australia, was that an easy decision for you?
Josipa
Oh no, TJ! That was one of the toughest decisions of my life. Like, it was a really tough decision for me. I was torn between following the man of my dreams versus having the career in which I was comfortable and staying close to my family. So, I was torn between these options for a very, very long time. I weighed up my pros and cons for months before that. It was hard but yes, I made up my mind and I settled on leaving for Australia, migrating to Australia. It was one of the hardest decisions ever.
TJ
I can really relate to those things Josipa. But how did you feel after you made that decision?
Josipa
Oh, I don’t know. On one hand, I don’t regret it. I love that I decided to come and live in Australia but, every now and then, I get a little heartache for my family, for my home, for my mother tongue language. You know, depending on what kind of day of the month you ask me. Sometimes, I’m feeling really good about it. Sometimes, I wish Australia wasn’t so far away. If we could take this continent and put it somewhere in the Adriatic Sea in Europe, it wouldn’t fit but if we could that, that would be perfect.
TJ
For sure, a lot of people will really relate to those things. But thank you, Josipa for your time and I know that you are on vacation right now. Sorry for bothering you for a few minutes but you’ll be coming back to us, right?
Josipa
Yes, I will. I have to come back so I will be back in few weeks. Please don’t break my podcast. Thank you, see you soon. Bye TJ!
The decisions we have to make in life can range from mundane, daily decisions to choices that are very important, and there are even decisions that are so important, that they could affect the future of the country.
The Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum will be held on the 14th of October 2023 across Australia. Make sure you can make an informed decision. Go to the website to find out what is involved in over 60 languages.
A big thank you to our educational consultant, Professor Lynda Yates.
Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire.
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