Choice - Alternative - Possibility
These are all words for sth that you choose to do in a particular situation.
Option something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do: As I see it, we have two options... | Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year. Option is also the word used in computing for one of the choices you can make when using a computer program: Choose the ‘cut’ option from the edit menu.
Choice the freedom to choose what you do; something that you can choose to have or do: If I had the choice, i would stop working tomorrow. | There is a wide range of choices open to you.
Alternative something that you can choose to have or do out of two or more possibilities: You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly: Those are the two alternatives.
Possibility one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation: We need to explore a wide range of possibilities. | The possibilities are endless. Possibility can be used in a similar way to option, choice and alternative, but the emphasis here is less on the need to make a choice, and more on what is available.
OPTION, CHOICE OR ALTERNATIVE?
Choice is slightly less formal than option and alternative is slightly more formal. Choice is most often used for ‘the freedom to choose’, although you can sometimes also use option (but not usually alternative): If I had the choice/option, I would... | If I had the alternative, I would... | Parental choice in education. | Parental option/alternative in education. Things that you can choose are options, choices or alternatives. However, alternative is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several.
PATTERNS
*with/without the option/choice/possibility of sth
*a(n) good/acceptable/reasonable/possible option/ choice/alternative
*the only option/choice/alternative/possibility open to sb
*to have a/an/the option/choice of doing sth
*to have no option/choice/alternative but to do sth
*a number/range of options/choices/alternatives/ possibilities
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Top Tips Abz Ingles - Notes on usage - Synonyms
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