Making suggestions

LANGUAGE FOR MAKING SUGGESTIONS

How to introduce ideas

1) WHAT ABOUT / HOW ABOUT  + gerund ("-ing"):

What about going to the Opera tonight?

How about going to the Opera tonight?

What about going to the cinema tonight?

What about watching a film?

What about asking your brother for help? 

How about going to Hawaii next summer?

2) WHY + auxiliary verb in the NEGATIVE FORM + infinitive

Why don’t we go to the cinema tonight?  

Why don't we go to the swimming pool tomorrow?

3) IMPERATIVE: Let's + infinitive

Let's go to the restaurant now!

  
Let's go to the cinema tonight.

Let's go to the travel agent's this afternoon to book our ticket!

4) COULD + infinitive

We could visit Paris next week.

We could go to the cinema tonight

We could visit your family

5) SHALL + subject + infinitive

Shall we go to the park?

Shall I open the window?

Shall we take your car?

This structure can also be used to ask someone else to do make suggestions.

What shall we do tonight?

Where shall we go on holiday?

When shall we get married.

What time shall we meet tonight?  

6)  WOULD … LIKE + infinitive

Would you like to dance with me?

Would you like some tea?  

Would you like to go for a walk?

8)  DO YOU FANCY + gerund

Do you fancy going to the cinema tonight?

7)  OTHER WAYS TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS

I recommend calling  a plumber.

I suggest we go to the cinema tonight.

Accepting or refusing a suggestion

Accepting suggestions:

§                That sounds great.          

§                Yes, that's a good idea     

§                Yes, that would be lovely.   

§                OK! Let's do that.              

§                Good suggestion, thank you.  

§                Brilliant! I'm mad / crazy about it.

§                OK! All right!              

§                Why not?
§                Why not? Of course! I love it!

Refusing suggestions:

§                Maybe later             

§                Not now                     

§                I'd rather we didn't     

§                That's a terrible idea.      

§                No, why not go to the club?  

§                I don't feel like.          

§                I’m sorry but…              

§                I don't feel like it.     

§                Sorry, I can’t.              

Showing indiference:

§               I don't care
§               I don't mind

Here you are an example of a dialogue containing different ways of making suggestions.

-Hi Pilar! Let's go to the beach tomorrow.

-No, Let's not go to the beach tomorrow. It's going to be too cold, Marcos.

-Then why don’t we go to the cinema?

-Good idea Marcos!  Let’s invite Paco to go with us!

-Hi Paco. We're going to the cimema tomorrow. Why don’t you come with us?

-The cinema? No, I don't want to go to the cinema. Let’s go  to a football match!

-A football match sounds fun! Hey Paco,  why don’t you pick up the tickets for us? We'll pay you back tomorrow.

-Well, okay, but you have to pay me back.

-Don’t worry Paco. We will give your money tomorrow afternoon. See you!

Now, click on the pencil below to get some practice.