THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Keep your options open
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To avoid committing to one choice yet so that other possibilities remain available.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- You can keep your options open while you compare the course dates.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
You can ________ while you compare the course dates.
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Keep your options open — To avoid committing to one choice yet so that other possibilities remain available.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Keep your options open” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
To avoid committing to one choice yet so that other possibilities remain available.
Compare: You can keep your options open while you compare the course dates.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when gathering information before a decision or preserving flexibility. It is conversational and useful for study, work and travel plans.
More examples in context
- I have not booked a venue because I want to keep my options open.
- We kept our options open until the final group size was confirmed.
Usage note
Change your to the appropriate possessive. Options stays plural. Keeping options open is not the same as promising to accept every option; it means delaying commitment while alternatives remain possible.
A short conversation
A: Have you chosen the evening course?
B: Not yet. I am keeping my options open until the weekend timetable arrives.
A: Then we can compare both schedules.
One more practice question
Which action keeps your options open?
A. Comparing available choices before committing to one.
B. Making a final commitment that rules out every alternative.
Check your answer
A. The person preserves alternatives while deciding.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.