Decision Idioms (On the Fence, Jump the Gun)

Idioms are like fixed blocks of words. You cannot change the words inside. You can't say "on the wall" to mean undecided. You must say on the fence. These phrases act like a single unit. On the fence works like an adjective. It describes your state of mind. You use it with the verb to be. For example, I am on the fence. Jump the gun works like a regular verb. You change the word jump for the time. You can say he jumped or they are jumping. It is like a grammar chameleon. It changes to fit the sentence. But the the gun part stays the same. Do not worry about actual guns or fences. No one is getting hurt here! We are just talking about ideas.

1. 1For on the fence, use a subject first.
2. 2Add the correct form of to be.
3. 3Put on the fence after the verb.
4. 4Use about to show the topic. Example: She is on the fence about the car.
5. 5For jump the gun, use a subject first.
6. 6Add the verb jump in the right tense.
7. 7Add the gun immediately after.
8. 8Use this to describe a fast action. Example: I jumped the gun on the project.
9. 9You can use these in questions too. Example: Are you on the fence? or Did you jump the gun?.
10. 10Keep the words in this exact order.

Use on the fence when you have two options. Maybe you like the red shoes. Maybe you like the blue shoes. You cannot pick one yet. You are on the fence. Use it when ordering food at a restaurant. Your friend asks what you want. You say, I'm still on the fence. It sounds very polite and clear. Use jump the gun for timing mistakes. Imagine you buy a cake for a surprise. But you tell the person too early. You jumped the gun. Use it in a job interview. You might say, I don't want to jump the gun, but I am ready. It shows you are careful. Use these phrases in casual chats. Use them in emails to your boss. They work in almost any situation. Even native speakers use these every single day.

Do not use these literally. If you are actually sitting on a wooden fence, don't say this. People will think you are making a joke. If you are at a sports race, be careful. A real gun might start the race. In that case, jump the gun is literal. Do not use these in very sad moments. If someone is very upset, use simple words instead. Avoid using jump the gun if you mean someone is lying. It only means they were too fast, not dishonest. Do not use on the fence for things you hate. If you hate both options, you aren't on the fence. You are just unhappy! Keep these for neutral or positive choices. They are friendly phrases, so keep the mood light.

Many people say in the fence. This is wrong. You must be on the fence. Think of a bird sitting on top. Another mistake is changing the noun. Don't say jump the pistol or jump the start. It must be the gun. Some learners forget the the. Jump gun sounds like a robot talking. Always include the. Don't forget the verb to be with the fence. I on the fence is not a full sentence. You need I am on the fence. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! They might say jumped the guns with an 's'. That is also a mistake. It is always one gun and one fence. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means go, red means stop, and on the fence is yellow!

On the fence is like saying undecided. But undecided sounds like a boring school book. On the fence sounds like a real person. It is softer than saying I don't know. Jump the gun is like saying act too soon. But act too soon is very formal. Jump the gun is more colorful. It creates a picture in the mind. Compare on the fence with make up your mind. Make up your mind is an order. On the fence is just a description. Jump the gun is different from being early. Being early is usually good. Jumping the gun is usually a small mistake. It means you missed a step. One is about success, the other is about patience.