Learn How to Ask for Advice in English - Asking for Advice in English Language

Asking for advice. So now that  we know how to give advice,  

what if I need advice? How can I ask for advice?  We can also use our modal verbs could, should,  

ought to, had better to ask for advice. So, let's  take a look at asking for advice with modal verbs  

and then again, I’ll show  you some different ways too. 

First, “what could I do?” So here we're  asking for suggestions. “What could I do,  

I have no homework and no plans tonight?”  What could I do? Right, I’m asking for  

some advice about some choices. “Oh,  you could watch a movie. Or you could  

go to the park. You could go for a walk.”  Right, could and asking for some choices.  

“What should I do?” This is very common  and often something we use to ask maybe  

a friend or family member, “oh what should I do?  I don't know please help me. What should I do?”  

Or similarly, “what do you think I should do? And finally, “what had I better do? What  

had I better do? Oh, you'd better…”  Right, so in these questions we see  

some of our modal verbs as questions. What should  I do? Probably the most common here. And, what do  

you think I should do? And before we finish let  me give you some extra ways to ask for advice.  

So, remember that sentence, “if I were you,  I’d…” So, we could also ask that as a question.  

“What would you do if you were me?  Oh, if I were you, I’d do this…” Right  

and same meaning. “What would you do if you  were in my situation?” Or another way to say it,  

“what would you do if you were in my shoes?”  “In my shoes,” is an idiom in English we use  

which means, what would you do if you were in  my situation. Same meaning. Just like we had the  

sentence, “I suggest that you…” We could also  ask that as a question, “what do you suggest?” 

“What do you think?” Or, “can you give me some  advice?” Or, “could you give me some advice?”  

So, uh or we could be specific. “Could you give  me some advice?” Or, “could you give me some  

advice about this thing?” Alright, so here we have  some more different ways we can ask for advice.  

So, let's put it together and see how  giving and asking for advice would work  

in an English conversation. Alright number  one; “I’m feeling really stressed lately,  

what should I do? You ought to rest. It's  important to give yourself time to relax.” And  

here again remembering we would really say “you  otta.” You ought to rest, it's important to relax. 

Number two: “Hey Sarah, could you give me  some advice? I want a raise, but I’m nervous  

about asking.” Right, so maybe my friend uh asks  me “hey I want to ask my boss for more money,  

but I’m nervous. So, I might say, “if I were you,  I’d practice the conversation with a friend first.  

Want to practice with me?” So here right,  very polite. If I were you, this is what  

I would do. So, that's a conditional. So, if you  guys remember from last week conditionals. “If I,  

were you, I would do this…” And last,  let's see “had better.” “Hello Doctor Park,  

I’ve been feeling sick lately, I think I have  the flu. What do you suggest? I’d better give  

you some medicine to take. You should take  these pills three times a day.” So, we can  

also use the subject “I” with our advice. “I’d  better do this.” Or, “I should do that,” right.