No matter what languages you are speaking, we need to learn how to effectively make a suggestion. Suggestions are important in communication, especially when you want to actively tell others what’s on your mind. This article will provide you with a lot of ways to make suggestions in English. Let’s get started!
How to directly make suggestions in English
If you want to make it brief and straight, take a look at our simple sentence patterns below which will immediately give listeners what you suggest.
Using I suggest is one of the simplest and fastest ways to make suggestions in English. After I suggest, you should have a noun or a gerund + what you want to let your listener consider.
- Where should we have dinner, everyone? – I suggest going to the nearest Chinese restaurant.
- I’m bored to death already – I suggest playing board games.
We could/should/ought to
This is a very popular way native speakers use when giving their advice, directions and, of course, making suggestions. You may want to remember that we could/should/ought to should always be followed by an infinitive verb.
- It’s getting darker, we’re going to be lost! – I think we should get back to where we started.
- I’m starving now. We could order fast food instead of cooking, couldn’t we?
You may be surprised to know that Let’s is a shortened version of Let us. Let’s must be followed by an infinitive verb.
Let us means “allow us to do something”. But when it becomes Let’s, this expression can be understood as “We should do something together”, which is perfect to be applied when giving suggestions in English.
- Let’s go to the mall!
- Are you free this weekend? Let’s go to watch a movie.
It would be nice if we could
Although it’s not one of the most “favored” choices, It would be nice if we could is a nice way to make your suggestions in English. The adjective nice can sometimes be replaced by other words with the same positive meanings. You are free to choose what adjective will best describe your feeling and make the sentence more diverse.
- I’m feeling quite cold. It would be nice if we could have a cup of tea.
- It would be perfect to spend the whole summer with you.
How to make suggestions in English using questions
Sometimes, native speakers want their suggestions seem softer and more polite. They use questions to make the suggestions something listeners can choose not something they are commanded to do.
Do you want to … ?
You will find that Do you want to …? is followed by an infinitive verb. When asking this question to give suggestions, you want to know if someone agrees with what follows.
- Do you want to live in an apartment?
- I found this kitten in a box this morning. Do you want to take him home?
Would you like …?
This sentence pattern is a gentle and polite way usually applied in situations when you offer someone something or invite them to do something. Would you like …? is used especially when you offer someone food or drinks.
- Would you like a slide of my strawberry cake?
- Would you like coffee or tea? – Coffee will be better.
Please note that the question Would you like coffee or tea? is actually an offer. You should “answer” it by choosing either of the given drinks. There’s nothing to do here with the familiar Yes/No question.
What about và How about
What about and How about should be followed by a gerund or a simple noun to make suggestions in English. This expression is short, clear and neat. If you use How about, the suggestion would have a stronger tone compared to What about.
- Where should we take the kids to? – How about going the museum?/ How about the museum?
- I have no idea what to entertain myself tonight? – What about going out with me?
The 2 questions How do you feel about and What do you think about can deliver the same meanings in a longer and more courteous way than How about and What about.
Why don’t we và Why not
To make your suggestions in English, you can use negative questions such as Why don’t we and Why not. Speakers use this expression and ask for listeners agreements on what they propose.
- This box is so mysterious. Why don’t we open it and find out what’s inside?
- What a beautiful morning! Why don’t we go for a walk along the river bank.
How to reply to suggestions in English
Below are popular sentences used to respond you agreement to suggestions in English.
- It sounds good to me/ Sounds good to me
- I’m up for it
- It’s a good idea
- Let’s do that
- I can’t agree more
There must be suggestions which you find not interesting. Instead of saying “No”, you can easily use the simple and polite expressions here:
- I’m not sure
- I don’t think that’s a good idea
- We had better not/You‘d better not
- I’d rather = I prefer
- We had better = we should
Tips to learn English vocabularies
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Thank you for reading this article about giving suggestions in English from eJOY. I wish you all the best in your English learning journey.