Choice

give choice

I’m not up here in Alaska because I want to be! Head office never gave me a choice!

make choice

Young people don’t realize that the choices they make at school and university can affect them for the rest of their lives.

restrict choice

We used to live in London, so we could fly anywhere really easily. Living up here in the north does restrict your choice of where you can go, but we prefer the quieter life.

have choice

I wouldn’t drive without a seat belt, but I still think people should have the choice.

influence choice

The council denied that financial considerations had influenced their choice of consultant.

leave choice

I’m afraid you’ve left us no choice. You’ve taken so many days off for no reason, we’ve got no alternative but to ask you to leave.

first choice

Blue wasn’t my first choice. I would have preferred red, but they were sold out.

straight choice

Look, there’s nothing more to discuss. It’s a straight choice – either you stop drinking, or you die of liver failure in a month – maybe two!

obvious choice

Jean Moore is the only one with the necessary work experience, so she’s the obvious choice.

difficult choice

Luke is only 12. Gill and David are getting divorced, so the poor boy has to decide which one he wants to live with. What a difficult choice for any child to make!

free choice

First-year students make up their own programs. They have a completely free choice within a group of subjects.

deliberate choice

I’m a single mother. It was a deliberate choice to bring up my children on my own.

choice of career

I think you’ve made the right choice of a career. You’ll make a wonderful teacher.

choice of friends

Mrs. Burgess obviously doesn’t like her son’s choice of friends.

choice of vegetables and salad

The main course comes with a choice of vegetables or salad.

choice of cinemas and theaters

New York is a city of culture. It has a huge choice of cinemas and theatres.

choice of words

She made an unfortunate choice of words in her speech and upset a lot of people in the room.

Notes   

Note the following useful expressions with prepositions:

• I’m afraid it’s not my kind of party. I wouldn’t have come here by choice.
• There were so many different things to eat. We were spoilt for choice.
• Some children in this area are not able to go to the school of their choice.

Note the following useful phrases:

• I had no choice what to study at university. My parents had already decided for me.
• The choice of career lies with you. It’s your decision and your decision only.

Note the common phrase ‘freedom of choice’:

• Satellite TV offers viewers greater freedom of choice.