Making Tough Decisions

B1 video lesson on choices, pros and cons, and giving advice.

Lesson Overview

Students watch a short advice video about making tough decisions. The lesson practises B1 language for choices, options, pros and cons, and giving advice about decision-making.

Before you watch

What was a tough decision you made recently?
Is it harder when both options are good?
How do you usually decide what to choose?

Making Tough Decisions

Open video on YouTube

Prep

Drag the correct ending into each gap.

1. If a decision is tough,...

2. If you make the wrong choice,...

3. If you have two options,...

4. If you list pros and cons,...

5. If something comes along,...

6. If you practise decision-making,...

Mixed answer options

you have two possible choices.you choose the option that is not best for you.you get better at choosing.it is difficult to choose.you write the good and bad points.it happens or appears.

Watch the Video

Watch the full video once. Focus on why tough decisions are difficult and how listing pros and cons can help.

Focus: tough decision, wrong choice, options, make a decision, decision-making, pros, cons and practise.

Open full video

Comprehension

Click each question to reveal the answer. Each question is synced to the video time.

0:05What is never fun according to the video?

Having to make a tough decision is never fun.

0:08Why can tough decisions be hard?

They can be hard because we are afraid of making the wrong choice or because we want both options.

0:18What happens if we do not make a decision?

We have decided not to choose, which means we have chosen nothing.

0:35How can smaller decisions help us?

Practising decision-making with smaller decisions makes big decisions less tough.

0:44What is one easy way to decide which choice is better?

List what you like and what you do not like about each option.

0:52What are pros and cons?

Pros are the good things and cons are the bad things.

0:58How can you choose between the options?

You can pick the option with more pros or fewer cons.

1:03What happens the more you practise?

Decision-making gets easier.

Vocabulary from the Video

Make a tough .

Be afraid of making the wrong .

We want both .

It is important to actually .

Practise decision-.

Big decisions come .

List the good things called .

List the bad things called .

Mixed options

decisionchoiceoptionschoosemakingalongproscons

Vocabulary Review

Word / phrase	Meaning	Example
tough	difficult	It was a tough decision.
decision	a choice you make	I need to make a decision.
choice	an option or decision	I do not want to make the wrong choice.
option	one possible thing you can choose	Both options are good.
choose	decide between two or more things	You need to choose one option.
decision-making	the process of choosing	Decision-making improves with practice.
come along	happen or appear	Big decisions come along in life.
list	write things one after another	List the pros and cons.
pros	good points or advantages	This option has more pros.
cons	bad points or disadvantages	This option has fewer cons.
pick	choose	Pick the option with more pros.
perfect	without problems or mistakes	Not all decisions are perfect.
practise	do something many times to improve	Practise making small decisions.
wrong choice	a choice that is not the best	People are afraid of making the wrong choice.
both	two things together	I want both options.

Collocations

make a

wrong

both

practise decision-

list the

fewer

Mixed options

optionsdecisionmakingproschoicecons

Phrasal Verb Questions

How do you come pros and cons?

What big decision might come this year?

How do you figure which option is better?

Have you ever put making a decision?

Who do you talk decisions with?

Mixed options

alongoffoutoverup with

Speaking extension: Answer the five phrasal verb questions with a partner. Then make a pros-and-cons list for a real decision.

B1 Grammar: Should / Shouldn’t for Decision Advice

Use should and shouldn’t to give advice about choices and decisions.

Form	Example
You should + verb	You should list the pros and cons.
You shouldn’t + verb	You shouldn’t avoid the decision.
Should I + verb?	Should I choose the first option?
Why don’t you + verb?	Why don’t you practise with smaller decisions?

Grammar Exercise 1: Complete the advice

You should a decision.

You shouldn’t the choice.

You should list the pros and .

You should pick the option with more .

Why don’t you with smaller decisions?

Mixed options

prosavoidmakepractisecons

Error Correction

You should to make a decision.

You should make a decision.

You shouldn’t avoiding the choice.

You shouldn’t avoid the choice.

Should I to choose this option?

Should I choose this option?

Why don’t you practicing with small decisions?

Why don’t you practise with small decisions?

Sentence Transformations

Use “should”.
List the pros and cons.

Use “shouldn’t”.
Do not avoid the decision.

Use “Why don’t you”.
Practise with smaller decisions.

Discussion

Why are some decisions difficult?
Is it worse to make the wrong choice or not choose at all?
Do you usually list pros and cons?
What decision do many students find difficult?
Who helps you when you need to make a decision?
Can small decisions help you practise for big decisions?
What is one decision you need to make soon?

Useful Language

Talking about choices	Giving advice	Explaining reasons
I have two options. I’m not sure what to choose.	You should... You shouldn’t... Why don’t you...?	The main pro is... The biggest con is...

Role Play: Pros and Cons

Situation: One student has to make a tough decision. The other student helps them list the pros and cons and choose the best option.

Student A: Decision Maker

You must choose between two options: studying abroad or staying at home; buying a laptop or saving money; joining a club or taking a part-time job.

Student B: Adviser

Ask questions, list pros and cons, and give advice using should and shouldn’t.

Challenge

Use: tough decision, wrong choice, options, pros, cons, should, shouldn’t.