Level C1

the jury is out on (something)

there's no consensus yet on something

In Spanish

todavía no hay acuerdo / está por verse

Examples

  • The jury is out on whether the new policy will reduce churn.
  • The jury is out on the effectiveness of the new marketing strategy.
  • The jury is out on whether he should be the next team captain.

When it's used

This idiom is often used in both informal and formal discussions to indicate that there is no consensus yet on an issue. It is common in everyday speech and in media contexts.

The common mistake

Spanish speakers sometimes mistakenly say 'the jury is on', omitting 'out'. This alters the meaning and does not convey the idea of uncertainty that the correct idiom does.

Related idioms

Recognising it isn't the same as using it

Reading an idiom and understanding it is step one. Dropping it into a conversation, at the right moment, without stopping to think, is another — and that only comes from speaking.

Practise speaking