decide about what

USAGE SUMMARY

"decide about what" is not a grammatically correct phrase.
It would be better to say "decide what to do" or "decide on what to do." You can use it when making a decision about something specific. For example: "I need to decide what to wear for the party" or "We need to decide on what food to order for the event." In these cases, "decide what" or "decide on what" is followed by a specific action or choice.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"One of the weird things about being CEO of 38 Degrees is that I don't actually get to decide about what we campaign on," he adds.

The Guardian

One side tends to think that this is all a natural outgrowth of the Bill of Rights; there is a right to privacy; the government should keep its nose out of the bedroom; a woman has the right to decide about what goes on in her own body.

The New York Times

Conservative Christians often describe secular humanism as "setting mankind above God"—by which they mean humans decide about what is moral, not God as He reveals himself through Scripture.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

A ranking task that includes both outcome types would make a direct comparison between these different outcomes possible, and might provide additional interesting information for researchers that have to decide about what outcomes to consider for use in economic evaluations in a health promotion context.

BMC Health Services Research

At this point you need to decide about what you would talk about and how you would act and then compare it to the 'gangs.' If one group seems to talk and act how you would/want to then they are probably the group for you.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Despite such threats, he said, nothing has been decided about what to do with the material.

The New York Times

On her show, she is so definite about everything, so exacting, so decided about what should and shouldn't be.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In any case, she said, "I'm the one who decides about what gets published and what doesn't in any venue".

The New York Times - Arts

In an interview today, the commission chairman, David Mason, said the commission was far from decided about what the new rules would say.

The New York Times

Whatever is eventually decided about what Father Mansfield did or did not do at Mr. Martinez's funeral, the suit poses the further issue of what legal responsibility the archdiocese has for his actions.

The New York Times

There are lots of questions to be decided about what happens next – how we live after Brexit, what our relationship will be with the remaining states of the European Union".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "decide about what", opt for clearer and grammatically correct alternatives like "decide what to do" or "determine what action to take".

Common error

Avoid using "about" after "decide" when indicating the object of your decision. Using "decide what to do" or "decide on a course of action" provides a more direct and correct expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decide about what" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The verb "decide" typically takes a direct object or is followed by an infinitive phrase (e.g., "decide what to do"). Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is not grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "decide about what" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's better to use alternatives like "decide what to do" or "decide on something" for clearer and more accurate communication. The examples confirm that authoritative sources avoid this phrasing. When making a choice, focus on direct and grammatically sound constructions for better clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Decide what to do

Focuses on the action to be taken, omitting 'about' for a more direct construction.

Determine what action to take

Replaces 'decide' with 'determine', emphasizing the process of figuring out the best course of action.

Choose what to address

Shifts focus to selecting a specific issue or topic to handle.

Settle on a course of action

Emphasizes reaching a final decision or agreement on a plan.

Figure out what's next

Focuses on the next steps or actions, using a more informal tone.

Ascertain the best approach

Uses 'ascertain' to denote finding the most suitable method or strategy.

Resolve what to prioritize

Highlights the act of resolving which items or tasks are most important.

Opt for a solution

Focuses on selecting a specific solution from multiple options.

Conclude which path to follow

Replaces 'decide' with 'conclude', emphasizing the end of a decision-making process.

Determine priorities

Simplifies the phrase to focus solely on the act of prioritizing tasks or issues.

FAQs

What are some correct alternatives to "decide about what"?

Instead of "decide about what", use phrases like "decide what to do", "determine what action to take", or "choose what to address" for grammatical accuracy.

How can I avoid misusing the word 'decide' in a sentence?

Ensure that the object of your decision is clearly stated without unnecessary prepositions like 'about'. For example, prefer "decide the next steps" over "decide about the next steps".

What's the difference between "decide what to do" and "decide about what"?

"Decide what to do" is grammatically correct and commonly used, whereas "decide about what" is not standard English and should be avoided.

Is it ever correct to use 'about' after 'decide'?

While "decide about" can appear in some constructions, it's generally better to use "decide on" or "decide what" for clearer and more accurate phrasing. For example, you might "decide on a plan".