Exercise

1. If something is up in the air, this means it is:

a) sure or decided

b) unsure or undecided

c) in an aeroplane

2. Which decision is up in the air for Nina at the moment?

Answers

1. b

2. whether or not to move house

Read

You’re listening to British Council’s English Online and I’m Nina. Today on Language Snacks we take a look at the expression up in the air. Let’s listen to the dialogue.

A: So where are you going on holiday this year?

B: I'm not sure really. It's still up in the air.

A: Oh, really? I thought you wanted to go skiing?

B: I do, but Tom wants to go somewhere with a nice beach and a swimming pool, so we haven't decided yet.

If something is up in the air, it is uncertain or undecided. We usually use this expression about proposals or plans for the future. For example, if a footballer hasn't decided whether or not to sign a new contract with his team, we can say his future is up in the air.

An uncertain future plan is such a common experience, and that's why I think this expression is so useful. For example, I've been thinking about moving to a new house. The problem is, houses are all very expensive at the moment and I don't want to live too far away from my work. I'm going to keep looking for somewhere, but in the end, I might decide to stay where I am. It's up in the air.

And that’s it for now – join us again for some more Language Snacks.

You’ve been listening to English Online – the podcast for English learners in China.