Making Suggestions

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

➡️ Clarify language used for making suggestions.

➡️ Practice of language used for making suggestions in the context of their use.

➡️ Review of suggestion words in the context of their use.

Lead-in

Read the following chat and answer the questions below.

1. What does Clarrisa's friend want?
2. Why does her friend agree with the idea?
3. What does the dialogue talk about?

Clarification: Making Suggestions

It is important that we are able to make suggestions or recommendations in English fluently because we need to do this often in our professional and personal life.

There are different ways that we can make a suggestion or recommend something in English. In this lesson, we will cover the most important and commonly used ways.

How about…?/What about…? an informal way of suggesting something

How about/What about going out to dinner tonight?

What if I…? an informal way of suggesting something that you can do to help someone

What if I babysat for you tonight? Then you could both go to the party.

Let's… an informal way of suggesting to the people you are with something that you could all do together

I know, let's go swimming!

Why don't I/you/we/they…? a way of suggesting something when you are introducing a new idea that other people have not thought of

Why don't you try phoning their office number instead?

What would you say to…?/What do you say I/we…? a way of asking whether someone would accept a suggestion

What would you say to a weekend by the seaside? 

​What do you say we have dinner at that restaurant by the beach?

Perhaps we/you/they could… a way of suggesting something, especially when you are not completely sure if it is a good idea

Perhaps we could ask Jerry's father if he has a tent he could lend us?

We/You could always… a way of suggesting something when most other possibilities have already been considered

I suppose we could always go to the cinema instead.

May/Can I suggest…? a polite and formal way of suggesting something

May I suggest that we postpone discussing this until the next meeting?

May/Can/Could I make a suggestion? a way of suggesting something, often used when interrupting people who are already discussing what to do

Could I make a suggestion? Why don't we put all the guests on the first floor and then everyone will be happy?

I suggest… a way of suggesting something in a slightly annoyed way, especially when you think someone has been silly or has done something wrong

In future, I suggest you ask your father's permission before you borrow his car.

Practice: Making Suggestions in the context of workplace

Now look at the following workplace problems in pairs.  Add one problem of your own. Then take turns explaining the problem, and making, accepting or rejecting suggestions

1. I have so much stress I can’t sleep.
2. My boss has asked me to work overtime on Saturday, but I have plans.
3. I’ve lost the keys to the company car.
4. I have too much overtime and can’t do any more extra hours but I also have too much work on my desk!
5. Your problem:................................

Review: Making Suggestions