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Martin, why have you opened the same registrationpage six times?
I am deciding whether to join a weekendstorytelling workshop.
You have been deciding for three days.
I know. I am still on the fence.
Then perhaps you should sleep on it.
I already did. Twice.
In that case, it may be time to go with your gutand take the plunge.
That is the entire lesson before the introduction.
Then let us slow down and make every expressionuseful.
Welcome to your English Toolbox. I am Martin.
And I am Julia.
Today we are exploring Lesson 9 of our free IdiomToolbox course, Decisions.
You can find the course at yourenglishtoolbox.com.
Open the Idiom section and choose Lesson 9,Decisions.
You will find a slow dialogue, clear meanings,multilingual support, examples, and interactive
retrieval practice.
The direct link to this free lesson is also in theepisode description.
Let us begin with On the Fence.
If you are on the fence, you are unable to decidebetween two options.
Martin is on the fence about joining the workshop.
I want to go, but I am nervous about telling astory in front of strangers.
We can also say, she is still on the fence aboutaccepting the new job.
Notice the useful pattern, on the fence aboutsomething or about doing something.
Learn on the fence as one fixed expression.
It usually describes indecision, not a finalrefusal.
Exactly, I have not said no, I simply have notchosen a side.
Our second expression is Sleep on it.
To sleep on something means to wait until the nextday before making a decision.
Imagine that a company offers you a new position.
You might say, thank you, I would like to sleep onit.
It does not mean that you should place the offerunder your pillow.
It means that time and rest may help you thinkmore clearly.
You slept on the workshop decision. Did that solvethe problem?
It helped me understand the facts, but the twooptions still seem equally reasonable.
03:04
Then you may need our third expression, Go withyour gut.
To go with your gut means to trust your instinctwhen making a decision.
You examine the information, but your final choicecomes from an inner feeling.
For example, I compared the two designs and thenwent with my gut.
The past form is went with your gut?
It does not mean facts are unimportant.
It is useful when you have considered them, and noanswer is obvious.
Facts first, instinct when the facts leave you onthe fence.
That sounds sensible.
Our final expression is take the plunge.
To take the plunge means to finally make a bold orimportant decision and act on it.
For example, after years of planning, they tookthe plunge and opened their own café.
The image is of jumping into deep water.
The decision feels bold, but you commit yourself.
So completing the registration would be taking theplunge. That part sounds very real.
Let us compare all four idioms.
On the fence means unable to decide between twooptions.
Sleep on it means wait until the next day beforedeciding.
Go with your gut means trust your instinct.
And take the plunge means finally make a bolddecision and act.
Time for a quick challenge.
Choose the best expression before we answer.
Situation 1.
You like two apartments equally and cannot decidewhich one to rent.
You are on the fence.
Situation 2.
You receive an important offer late in the eveningand want to answer tomorrow.
You decide to sleep on it.
Situation 3.
The advantages are balanced, so you trust yourinstinct.
You go with your gut.
Situation 4.
After months of hesitation, you finally start yourown small business.
You take the plunge.
Now complete this sentence about your own life.
I am still on the fence about...
And one more.
One day I would like to take the plunge and...
Continue with Lesson 9 in the free Idiom Toolboxcourse at YourEnglishToolbox.com.
The lesson includes a slow dialogue that you canreplay at 0.5 or 0.75 speed.
The direct link is in the episode description.
06:01
So, what does your gut say about the storytellingworkshop?
It says I should complete the form.
Are you taking the plunge?
Yes, I have just pressed the registration button.
How do you feel?
Excited and slightly terrified.
Then you are no longer on the fence.
No, now I am fully on the other side of it.
See you next time, friends.
Goodbye.