Learn
Watch & LearnLearning Paths
English for Daily LifeEnglish for Social ConnectionEnglish for WorkVOA English
Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Talk about relying on one outcome, keeping a backup plan, and handling plans that fail.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptTo “pin your hopes on” something is to depend strongly on it as the way to succeed. The episode cautions against relying on a single uncertain outcome, such as winning a lottery, and encourages having a Plan B. When an arrangement fails to happen, it may have “fallen through.”
Cultural note: The phrase often carries a cautionary tone, especially when someone is relying on luck or on another person. It does not mean hope itself is foolish; it highlights the risk of depending on only one outcome. “Keep another option open” sounds more constructive than dismissing someone’s hopes.
Keep exploringHope can help you move forward—but what else can you prepare if your first plan does not work?
Phrase guide · 4 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe putting a great deal of hope in a specific possibility.
Meaning
Depend strongly on a particular thing or outcome to help you succeed.
Tone & use
Often cautionary; “pin all your hopes on” emphasizes having no other plan.
Example
“Rather than pin all her hopes on one interview, she applied to several programs.”
Name a practical alternative if the first plan fails.
Meaning
A backup plan to use if the first plan does not work.
Tone & use
Common in everyday and professional contexts; it can be a specific alternative or a general backup.
Example
“If the outdoor event is rained out, Plan B is to move the workshop indoors.”
Talk about an arrangement that suddenly fails or stops.
Meaning
Fail to happen or be completed as expected.
Tone & use
Often used for plans, deals, offers, or agreements; it is intransitive (“the plan fell through”).
Example
“Our carpool fell through, so we took the train instead.”
Meaning
A positive aspect of a difficult or disappointing situation.
Tone & use
Usually appears in “every cloud has a silver lining”; it should not minimize serious hardship.
Example
“The flight delay was frustrating, but the silver lining was an extra afternoon with my cousin.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
1 of 3
