How to make suggestions in English | Study English advanced level

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Okay, so what are we going to talk to you about today?

Well, today we're going to talk about suggestions.

Okay, so making suggestions in English.

And when we look at this, we're going to look at the type of suggestions that you can make.

And then we're going to look at the responses that you might give in relation to positive

responses, or, indeed, negative responses.

Okay, so when you're talking about suggestions, remember that they are only suggestions, they're

not obligatory, you're not forcing somebody to do something, you're not making it a must.

So we're not using language like, you must, or you have to.

Okay, so the suggestion so often that the language that we use with them is quite indirect.

So you might see expressions like, I think, or why don't you?

Or would you consider?

Yeah, so you're using indirect type of language.

And it's much easier, it's more polite, and it goes very well with the suggestions that

you're making.

Because like all suggestions, people have a choice, they can accept this suggestion,

or indeed, they can reject it and decide to do what they wanted to do.

But after all, it is only a suggestion or recommendation.

Okay, so let's look at those phrases for making suggestions are given to you again, first

of all, then we go down and look at a few examples.

I think you should...

Would you be interested in...?

I thought, perhaps you might like...

I was thinking it would be nice, a nice change if...

How or what about?

Let's...

Do you fancy?

Shall we?

We might as well.

Okay.

Now, as I said in all of these, they are suggestions.

They are recommendations.

So the language is a little bit more indirect.

And a lot of the time, we're using some modal verbs like should, and would.

And these are classics, when we're talking about suggestions and recommendations.

Like, I think you should go to the doctor.

So you're not saying you have to go to the doctor, you must go to the doctor.

No, it's, I think you should go to the doctor, a suggestion.

So I think you should, I think you should go.

So when we use should, it's always followed by the bare format of the verb is not followed

by ing.

And it's not followed ever by the infinitive to.

So it's the infinitive without to.

I think you should go to the doctor, you're not feeling well.

I think you should apologise to the neighbour.

We made a lot of noise when we were doing the redecoration.

And I think they were getting a little bit frustrated.

So I think you should apologise.

I think you should probably take a cup of coffee go into the room and think about what

you wanted to say.

Okay, so suggestions and recommendations using should but not should to.

It's always you should go, you should eat, you should visit, you should apologise, you

should wait.

So it's that infinitive without to.

Next would you be interested in...

So they have lots of endings here.

Would you be interested in going to the cinema?

Would you be interested in going to the movies?

Would you be interested in lending me 10 Euro?

Would you be interested in watching that new series on Netflix?

So lots of ways we could suggest or recommend doing something.

The important thing here when we use would you be interested in, it's followed by the

verb with the -ing.

So would you be interested in looking at...

Would you be interested in going to the cinema?

Would you be interested in lending?

Would you be interested in buying?

Would you be interested in eating sushi tonight?

Yeah.

So always -ing, -ing, not the infinitive.

-ing.

And we use that modal verb would at the beginning, would, because you're not sure the person

will agree.

So it's not will, it's would because there's a possibility they may or there's a possibility

that may not agree to your particular suggestion.

So would you be interested in going to the movies on Saturday?

I can get tickets.

That's your favourite actor is on, you know how you like him and we could do the good

night out.

I thought perhaps you might like.

Okay?

I thought you might, I thought perhaps you might like to..

And again here, we follow it with the infinitive.

I thought, perhaps you might like to spend the evening at home for a change, you're always

going out.

I thought perhaps you might like to invite your mother round for lunch on Sunday.

She hasn't seen the kids for ages.

And it's about time we've got her out of the house.

I thought perhaps you might like to buy me that necklace that I was looking at and I

showed you on the internet.

I would really love it, I think it would go well with this dress, don't you think?

Yeah.

A thought perhaps you might like to do something.

To do, to go, to buy, to watch.

I was thinking it was... it would be a nice change if...

I was thinking it would be a nice change if what?

If we did this, if we did that.

I was thinking it would be a nice change if we went on a holiday abroad this year.

I was thinking it would be a nice change if we bought that new sofa we saw in the shop

window.

I was thinking it would be a nice change if we spend Christmas on our own this year.

We're always going to my folks or your folks, and it's about time we have our own traditions.

Let's start our own traditions.

It'd be good, be good for the kids to have a Christmas around our own table.

And sure if your folks want to come why not?

They're free to come if they wish.

But I was thinking it would be a nice change if we decided and after that.

So if we decided.

If we went.

If we could.

Okay, so just different ways in which we can use that phrase when want to make suggestions.

Next, how about or what about.

So how about going out on Saturday instead of Friday?

What about inviting your parents around for lunch on Sunday?

Monday is a bank holidays.

So we have a couple of glasses of wine.

We don't have to get up early for work on Monday.

What about painting the room yellow?

It would be nice and bright.

What about that car you saw?

You're really thinking of buying it?

Yeah.

So how about.

What about.

And then again, followed by by that -ing.

How about painting?

How about buying?

How about inviting?

How about doing something?

-ING.

How about what about -ing?

Okay, next very short.

Just let's.

Let's think about it.

Let's go mad.

Let's paint it purple.

Let's invite all our friends around for a barbecue, it'd be great way to kick off the

summer.

Let's go away for the weekend.

That's just on the spur of the moment.

Let's just throw a few things into a bag, drive off and see where the road takes us

and book something when we get there.

Yeah, why not?

Let's do something spontaneous.

Let's go wild.

Let's do this.

Let's take the children whatever it is, it's a suggestion.

Let's.

Okay?

Let's do this.

Let's do that.

Let's not fight now.

Let's not argue.

Ah, let's agree on something here.

Okay, so let's do this.

Let's do that.

And then a much more informal Do you fancy?

And when we say do you fancy it means, "Would you like to...?"

So do you fancy going to the movies?

Do you fancy calling in for a pizza on the way home?

Do you fancy a night in by the fire?

It's a really cold evening, and we could get one of those movies, or indeed see if there's

any new series on Netflix.

We haven't watched it for ages.

Do you fancy doing nothing?

Yeah.

Why don't we just stay at home?

Do you fancy?

Do you fancy going?

Do you fancy doing?

Do you fancy meeting?

Okay, so what have we got there yet?

We've got the -ing.

Do fancy going to?

Do you fancy meeting?

Do you fancy doing absolutely nothing?

And then a bit more polite or and very formal, shall we?

Shall we book that restaurant for next week?

Shall we take a few days off and go on a holiday?

Shall we invite the neighbours in for a drink?

They've moved in six months ago and we've hardly said 'hello' to them.

Shall we do something special for New Year this year?

I'm sure there's going to be lots of celebrations now that the pandemic is finally over.

So lots of ways and say, Shall we?

Now, of course, when we use "shall", we either use it with we or I.

We don't use it with shall you?

Or shall he?

It's always Shall I?

Shall I open the bottle of wine?

Shall we?

Shall we go away for the weekend?

We promised, we said we would.

So shall we do it this weekend?

And then finally, when you have no choice, or appears that you have no choice and you

say, Well, we might as well.

There's nothing else to do.

Or we might as well go to bed early, I don't think they're going to turn up at this time.

So you're sitting in home, you're not sure whether Mike and his girlfriend are going

to come around, they said they might.

And they, you know, but you know what those couple are like, sometimes they do, sometimes

they don't.

So, you know, if they're not there by nine o'clock...

they're not really going to come.

So we might as well go to bed.

We might as well start dinner, the kids will catch up later on.

And if they're late they're late, they can stick it in the microwave.

Okay, so we might as well.

You can also say, we may as well, because may and might are interchangeable.

So may, might, we can use both of them equally the same.

We might as well.

We may as well.

And what it really means is we don't have any other choice or doesn't look as if we

have any choice.

So if we've got nothing better, well, we might as well do that.

Okay, so they're the... the phrases that we use when we're making suggestions.

Okay, so I think you should...

Would you be interested in...?

I thought, perhaps you might like...

I was thinking it would be a nice change if...?

How about or what about?

Let's.

Do you fancy?

Shall we?

Or we might as well.

So all the expressions and phrases for making suggestions.

So what we want to look at next is when... how do we respond.

So somebody has made a suggestion, so obviously, they're expecting some sort of response.

And the response can be a positive response, or indeed, it could be a negative response.

So let's, first of all, look at those positive responses.

So again, I'll give them to you, and then we'll give you an idea as to how you might

use them.

Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea.

Brilliant.

Well, count me in too.

Yeah, you're probably right.

Sounds perfect.

That would be lovely.

It's a definite maybe from me.

It's a definite maybe.

Okay, so positive responses.

Now, how will we use them?

Well, that sounds like a great idea.

Well, I mean, if it's, it's the best idea you've heard, or you can't come up with anything

better, well, you might as well go along with it and say, Yeah, that sounds like a great

idea.

Why don't we book that restaurant?

We'll get there early.

And then who knows?

After that, we might go and see if there's any of the guys or the gang around.

And we can have a quick drink before we come home.

Yeah, so everything will be perfect.

So yeah.

Do you want me to book it?

Or will you book it?

It sounds a really great idea.

Let's do it.

That's not a bad idea.

So it's not perfect.

It's not perhaps the idea you really were hoping for, but yeah, you know, it's not a

bad idea.

It's...

I'll give it a little bit more thought, and, yeah, I think that... that actually could

work.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea.

So you've been looking to find a way of getting over a particular problem.

You haven't been able to come up with this suggestion yourself.

And then somebody suggests this particular way around it.

And then when you think about it, Hmmm, yeah, actually that's not a bad idea.

Yeah, I think you've got something there.

Or I think you're onto something.

Let's... let's develop it a little bit more.

Let's get the other guys in and let's see what they think.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea.

Or if you're absolutely blown away by the idea.

Wow.

Brilliant.

Why didn't I think of that?

Brilliant!

Yeah, that's just what we need.

A weekend away.

Get away from this weather.

Get away from the city.

Yeah, let the kids go and stay with the granny should love it for a couple of days.

You and I will spend a couple of days walking on the beach this time of the year.

Yeah, we might get a bit wet but who cares?

Yeah, brilliant.

That's a wonderful suggestion.

Count me in too.

Yeah, count me in too.

So it's a bit more of a relaxed response.

It's very positive count me in too means, Yeah, you can rely on me, I want to do that.

So you know, you're on your mobile phone having a chat, and the guys are talking about going

away for a game of golf or going off to watch a match and, you know, you just put the phone

down, Yeah, yeah, count me in too.

I'll go, I'll go, I'm in.

So whatever the guys are doing, you want to do it.

It, you know, if you don't spend so much time with them these days, so it's a good opportunity.

Count me into means, Yeah, include me in the number whoever's organising the event.

You're probably right.

Now, this is not a wonderfully exciting response, but it depends on what intonation you put

into it.

But if you're... if you're reluctantly agreeing to somebody's suggestion, Yeah, you know,

you're probably right.

I...

I really didn't give it enough consideration.

Perhaps I should have thought about it a little bit more before I responded.

But you know me, I usually respond quickly.

But yeah, I think you're probably really right.

When she comes home from school, I'll apologise and I'll make it up to her.

Everything will be okay.

You know the way she is.

So yeah, you're probably right.

Or something is really good.

And you're really can't see anything wrong with it.

Yep.

Sounds perfect.

Perfect for me.

Yeah, that sounds just what we need.

Yeah.

So yeah, sounds a perfect way.

I'll get the paint brushes.

We can have it painted by lunchtime.

And if it needs another coat, sure, I can...

I can do another coat of paint later on Saturday or even on Sunday.

Yeah.

So yeah, that sounds perfect to me.

Oh, that would be lovely.

Yeah.

So a nice suggestion.

So why don't...

don't I cook lunch on Sunday?

I'll invite your parents around.

I'll do roast beef and some potatoes and the veg.

They always like a bit of that.

And, you know, you can either make that apple pie or we can buy one in the bakery there.

You know, dad really likes that, yeah.

Oh, yeah, that that would be lovely.

I wouldn't have to cook.

You always cook them the meat much better than I do.

Yeah, let's...

Why don't we do it?

It sounds lovely.

So it's a good idea, a good suggestion, something that everybody will enjoy.

And then the last one, it's a definite maybe.

What do you mean, it's a definite maybe?You can't be definite and maybe.

Well, you know, I'm going to go home.

And I'm going to ask the wife and, you know, she might...

she might not agree.

I'll bring a bunch of flowers, she'll definitely, definitely agree with them.

So yeah, put me down as a definite maybe.

Definite maybe.

Okay, so they're positive responses that you might make.

So how about negative responses?

Well, of course, when we talk about negative responses, the... the most negative way to

respond to something is "no."

A categorical, No, no, I'm not interested.

I'm not doing that.

But sometimes just a plain ordinary "No," can come across as a little bit rude.

Depending on, of course, how you say no, no, yeah.

So you might want to say it in a slightly different way.

But the objective is the same.

You don't want to do it.

So here are some suggestions as to how you might be negative in your response.

I don't think so.

I'm not sure that would be appropriate.

No, I'm not sure about that.

Well, I don't know.

To be honest, it's not my cup of tea.

No, not really.

I'm not keen on that idea.

No, I'd rather not, I'd really rather not.

I'm sorry, I really don't feel like it.

So a lot of it is about the intonation that you can put into it because when you give

the correct type of intonation, people will understand very quickly that the answer is

"no."

But you're doing it in a nice way, a friendly way, a polite way, but you're still letting

them know it's not going to happen.

I don't think so.

I don't think that's going to work.

I really don't see that working.

I just don't think so.

I mean, I don't think this market is ready for that yet.

I just don't think so.

So you're not bowled over by the idea.

You're not something that you think is going to make a huge difference to... to your life,

and perhaps it's going to be a lot of trouble.

And you're going to get nothing out of it.

I don't think so.

I'm not sure that would be appropriate.

So somebody suggested that perhaps to get together and go to the bar for a few drinks,

and then we go and have a meal together?

Are you sure?

I mean, you know, I think it's just a little bit early, I'm not so comfortable.

So I'm not so sure that would be appropriate.

Why don't we just invite a couple of them around here?

Yeah, not so sure it's so appropriate now.

Okay.

I think I prefer just a couple of people rather than a big gang.

Nah, I'm not so sure about that.

So again, you're expressing a little bit of negativity, the suggestion I'm not so sure

you really mean, No, no, I'm not so sure it'll work.

I'm not sure it's the right time.

Yeah, I'm just not sure that I really understand what it's about.

So let me think about it.

Let me mull it over.

Let me sleep on it.

Whatever way you want to try and your persuade them that you need a little bit more time

to think about it even though you're probably going to say no, so I'm not sure about that.

Well, I don't know.

I just don't know.

I mean, I've...

it's not something I'm comfortable with.

It's not something I've done before.

What if it goes wrong?

Yeah, what if we...

what if we lose our money?

Yeah, I just don't know.

To be honest, it's not my cup of tea.

So the guys want you to go and play squash and then they want you to head off and go

to a disco or a club.

Or you know, I'm not a club guy.

I just don't like it.

It's not my scene.

It's not my cup of tea.

And to be honest, game a squash?

No, been there, done that.

I don't really likeit.

It's just not my cup of tea.

And then pos... very definitive "no," No, not really.

Yeah.

What do you think about that?

Or your...

Do you think it's going to work?

No, not really.

I think we've tried that before many times.

And it didn't work the first time.

So I don't know why we believe that it's going to work the second time.

So no, not really.

I'm not...

I'm not going to support that as a... as a suggestion.

Sorry.

I'm not keen on that idea.

Well, why not?

I mean, it's we could we could do with a holiday.

And that's we said, we do something different.

Yeah, but camping.

I mean, you don't like camping.

I don't like sleeping on the ground.

So how's it going to be fun?

I'll tell you what, why don't we go to that log cabin?

We looked at the one up by the lake, that... that would be a much, much better idea.

But no, I'm not keen on that idea of camping.

No, thanks.

No, I'd rather not.

So a little bit more definitive in your negative response.

No, I'd rather not do that.

In fact, what I rather do is nothing just fancy and nice, calm, quiet evening at home

with the family.

No, I'd rather not.

Thank you.

Or just, general.

I'm sorry.

Look, I'm sorry.

I really don't feel like it.

Perhaps another time.

Yeah.

Let's let's do it next weekend.

It's a long weekend.

There's a holiday on the Monday.

So yeah, we could even go away for a couple of nights.

But this weekend, like I really just want to rest up.

It's been a tiring few weeks since the Christmas holidays.

So yeah, I really don't feel like it this weekend.

But yeah, next weekend, sounds great.

Okay, so you do say the suggestion isn't what you want now, but it might be something that

you want later on.

Okay, so negative responses to suggestions that people have made.

So what we've done them we've looked at ways of making suggestions.

And as we said, lots of the expressions are indirect.

And then we've looked at how you respond both positively and negatively.

So why don't you try some of them out, see if they work for you.

Make sure that you understand them.

If you don't come back to me and we can help and explain them again.

As always, I really appreciate when you join me.

So join me again.