I Bet Expert English Speakers Don't Know the Difference - HOW ABOUT vs WHAT ABOUT

I got a message on Instagram from an Eat Sleep Dreamer asking me 'Tom could you explain the

difference between 'how about' and 'what about'? Are they similar? What a great question. It

was a question that I have had before and so today, we're going to look at the differences

and the similarities between these two phrases.

Hello and welcome to Eat Sleep Dream English. If you haven't met me before my name is Tom

and I teach fresh modern British English so that you can take your English to the next

level and achieve your life goals. Now today, we're looking at how about and what about.

The differences and the similarities. There are a few. These are two very useful expressions

that would be great for you to understand. before we get going I want to remind you guys

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I'd love it if you became a Super Dreamer. Alright, let's get to the lesson. The main

use of 'how about' is to make a suggestion. For example 'What shall we do tonight?' 'I

don't know. How about going to the pub?' As you can see there they are making a suggestion

of going to the pub. It's an idea. Now this question demands a response either yes or

no. You can accept the idea or reject the idea. So the answer might be 'Yeah ok great'

or 'I don't really fancy going to the pub'. Whatever your response, it is either yes or

no. Another example 'What do you want to have for dinner?' 'I know. How about a Chinese

take away?' Same thing again. There's the suggestion and we can either say yes or no.

Now what's really important is to look at the pattern that follows this phrase how about.

We've got three options. We can say how about and then the verb in the ing. So how about

going to the cinema? So you've go how about and then the verb ing. the second pattern

is the pronoun and then the infinitive verb so how about we go to the cinema? That's also

fine. The third structure how about the cinema? We are using a noun phrase there. So all three

have the same meaning the structures are slightly different, it's up to you which one you want

to use. So how about going to the cinema? How about we go to the cinema? How about the

cinema? All perfectly fine. The main use of what about is to raise an objection or to

talk about a problem. So for example 'Hey let's have a house party tonight' 'Yeah but

what about the neighbours?' So the objection here is that if you have a house party, the

neighbours are going to be upset. Maybe because of the noise, the disturbance etc. So you

are raising it as a problem. Well, what about the neighbours, like don't you think they

will be angry or upset or whatever. So it's a great way to raise a problem or an issue

that there might be. Here's another example 'Do you fancy going away for the weekend?'

What about the dogs, we can't just leave them? So the problem here is that if you go away

for the weekend, what are you going to do with the dogs. The dogs are going to be by

themselves. They can't be by themselves, so that's a problem. so again you are using what

about to raise this issue that's potentially there. The main structure after what about

is to use the noun phrase. So what about the dogs? The dogs is the noun phrases. You can

also have the verb ing as well. So what about seeing your friends? So again the verb ing.

Now as you will hear in my pronunciation I'm not saying what about. Now my accent is a

London accent, it's a little bit loose with the /t/s sometimes. Sometimes I'll drop them,

so the way that I say this is 'what about..?' I'm dropping my /t/s there. So what about..?

I'm using a schwa over the A, so it's not about but about. And I'm not pronouncing that

/t/ at the end there. So it's what about..? What about going to the cinema? What about

the dogs? Now that's very casual informal spoken English. It's just how I would say

it, it makes it much easier for me to say. Instead of saying what about, it's quite difficult.

So what about. And the same with how about. I'm not pronouncing that last /t/ on the about.

How about going to the cinema? How about seeing some friends? You will also notice that in

response to a what about question the answer probably isn't yes or no, it's probably more

expanded than that. So what about the dogs? Oh the dogs will be ok, I'm sure we can find

a way to look after them. Maybe your brother could look after them or whatever it might

be, ok? So with how about it's usually yes or no as a response but what about the answer

is probably a little bit longer. Now when can they be used interchangeably. When is

there a bit of an overlap of use? Well, usually when we are looking for a response from somebody

else. So for example 'What are you up to this evening?' 'Nothing much. How about you?' 'I

think I'm going to have a quiet night in.' 'What are you up to this evening?' 'Nothing

much. What about you?' 'I think I'm going to have a quiet night in.' So they are exactly

the same meaning. They just want you to respond to the question. So you say your answer and

then you want the other person to give their answer. So instead of asking them the whole

question again, you just say 'What about you?' or 'How about you?' Here how about and what

about, completely interchangeable, you can use either one. Alright, does that make sense

guys? Does that seem clearer to you now, the difference between how about and what about.

And the similarities. In the comments below guys, I want you to practise using these phrases.

So I want you to write a little dialogue. Maybe it could begin 'What shall we do tonight?'

and then you can give a suggestion. Or maybe 'Let's go bowling this afternoon' and then

you can say a problem or an objection. So write your dialogue in the comments below.

I'm going to come down and read them all and I'm going to give you some feedback, ok? Brilliant.

I look forward to reading them. Guys, I want to remind you of the YouTube membership for

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very much for watching today. This is Tom, the Chief Dreamer, saying goodbye.