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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Describe what is firm, what might change, and how a plan can be penciled in.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThis episode contrasts “set,” “written,” or “carved in stone” with “penciled in” to describe how changeable plans and decisions are.
Cultural note: The expressions use writing and carving as metaphors for permanence. “Penciled in” is especially useful for plans that are tentative, not confirmed.
Keep exploringIs the date final—or only a possibility for now? These expressions help you signal how much room there is to change a plan.
Phrase guide · 5 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe rules, dates, and plans that are difficult to change.
Meaning
Fixed and unlikely or impossible to change.
Tone & use
Used for decisions, schedules, rules, or plans. It may be softened with “not” when there is still room to revise.
Example
“The venue is booked, but the schedule is not set in stone yet.”
Meaning
Established so firmly that it cannot easily be changed.
Tone & use
A common variation on “set in stone.” It can sound emphatic, so use it when the firmness matters.
Example
“The application deadline is written in stone, so please submit everything by Friday.”
Signal that something is provisional and may move.
Meaning
Put a tentative date or plan on a schedule, knowing it may change.
Tone & use
Often used for appointments, meetings, or events that are not confirmed. Contrast it with a permanent marker only figuratively.
Example
“Let’s pencil in Thursday afternoon and confirm once the room is available.”
Meaning
Allow a plan, situation, or arrangement to remain flexible.
Tone & use
Useful when details may change; in formal writing, “flexible” or “subject to change” may be clearer.
Example
“We’ll keep the agenda fluid until the guest speakers confirm.”
Clarify whether a suggestion or policy can still be revised.
Meaning
Firmly established or permanent.
Tone & use
Another version of the same metaphor; often used in the negative to reassure people that a plan can change.
Example
“Our first draft is not carved in stone—we can still revise it.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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