Choice is a noun referring to the act of selecting between options, or the option(s) available. It connotes deliberation and preference, often implying a voluntary or constrained decision. In everyday use, it can also describe a favored or excellent example of something. (2–4 sentences, concise and clear.)
"After reviewing the menu, she made a difficult choice."
"That restaurant is a great choice for a birthday dinner."
"You have a choice between tea or coffee, whichever you prefer."
"Economists study consumer choice to understand preferences."
Choice derives from the Old French choix, from Latin clinare, related to the verb legere meaning to pick or choose. The word evolved from “to pick” into a noun signaling the act of choosing. In Middle English, “choice” also carried nuance of best or select, reflecting social prestige of making a deliberate selection. Over time, it broadened to cover both the act of choosing and the object selected. The English sense began solidifying in medieval usage, with early quotations appearing in legal and educational texts that discuss options and selections. The modern sense of a favorable option or the process of selecting arose as commerce and private decision-making grew more complex, leaving “choice” as a general term for options and discerning judgment. First known use as a noun in English attests to the 13th–14th centuries, with the sense of “selection” becoming common in Early Modern English; by then it also carried connotations of quality and refinement, as in “a choice bit of meat.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Choice" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Choice" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Choice"
-ice sounds
-ise sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You pronounce it as /tʃɔɪs/. The initial sound is the CH consonant cluster /tʃ/ (as in chair), followed by the diphthong /ɔɪ/ (like “oy” in “boy”), and ending with a voiceless /s/. The stress is on the single syllable, and the mouth starts with a slightly open jaw for /ɔɪ/ before closing toward /s/. Aim for a smooth glide from /ɔɪ/ into /s/ without breaking the diphthong. IPA guide: /tʃɔɪs/.
Common errors include flattening the /ɔɪ/ diphthong toward a simple /ɔ/ or /oʊ/, producing something like “cos” or “coise.” Another frequent mistake is shortening or delaying the final /s/, making it sound like /z/ or dropping it altogether. Some speakers also misplace the tongue, making /tʃ/ sound more like /dʒ/ or misarticulating the transition into /ɔɪ/. Focus on a crisp, flowing /tʃ/ + /ɔɪ/ + /s/ sequence with a strong, clear /ɔɪ/ glide.
In US, UK, and AU, /tʃɔɪs/ is broadly the same, with minor vowel quality differences. US tends to have a slightly fronter /ɔɪ/ with less lip rounding and quicker transition into /s/. UK often shows a slightly more open /ɔɪ/ and a lighter /tʃ/ release; Australian can exhibit a more centralized or slightly flatter /ɔɪ/ depending on speaker, with non-rhotic tendencies in some regional accents affecting surrounding vowel quality. Overall, rhoticity does not alter the core /ɔɪ/ vowel in Choice, but vowel length and tongue shape may vary subtly.
The difficulty lies in the /ɔɪ/ diphthong, where you glide from an open-mid back vowel toward a near-close, near-front position while keeping the /tʃ/ onset clean and the /s/ final voiceless. Many learners over-round or under-round the lips during /ɔɪ/, or fuse the /tʃ/ with /dʒ/ in /tʃɔɪ/; others rush the transition into /s/, causing a clipped ending. Practice isolating the diphthong and ensuring a smooth, continuous glide into /s/ for an accurate, natural sound.
Yes. The sequence /tʃɔɪs/ features a tightly pressed /tʃ/ onset followed immediately by a prominent /ɔɪ/ glide, which can cause tension if you try to start /ɔɪ/ too early or too late. The transition should be seamless, with the tongue relaxing from the alveolar ridge for /tʃ/ into the high-middle/back /ɔ/ position for /ɔɪ/ and then snapping to /s/. Keeping the jaw steady and ensuring a clean end consonant helps avoid extra sounds like a subtle /z/ or /θ/.
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