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Making suggestions

The structures how about…? and what about…? are used to make suggestions. When we have to put a verb after how about / what about, we use an –ing form.

  • How about going to the movies tonight? OR What about going to the movies tonight?

  • What about having a picnic next week? OR How about having a picnic next week?

  • What about / how about going for a long drive?

Sometimes the gerund is omitted.

  • How about another cup of coffee? OR How about having another cup of coffee?

  • What about some more cake?

  • What about a game of tennis?

Sometimes how about…? and what about…? are used while considering people, things etc for a particular purpose.

  • What about John? Do you think he will be able to do this?

  • How about Peter? I think he will be a good choice.

  • He is a nice fellow. What about his character?

What about…? can be used to bring up points that have been forgotten.

  • What about the cats? Who will feed them?

  • What about the kids? Who is going to look after them?

 We can make questions, requests, suggestions and statements sound more polite by using past tense forms.

  • I wondered if you could help me. (More polite than ‘Can you help me?’)

  • I thought you could lend me a pound. (More polite than ‘Will you lend me a pound?’)

  • How much did you intend to give, sir? (Meaning ‘How much do you intend to give?)

Past progressive verb forms are even more polite.

  • I was wondering if you could lend me a pound. (Even more polite than ‘I wondered if you could lend me a pound’.)

  • Were you looking for anything special, sir? (More polite than ‘Are you looking for anything special, sir?)

Another way to make a statement or suggestion sound more polite is to turn it into a question. Note the use of past tense verbs.

  • Could you please open the window? (Much more polite than ‘Please open the window’.)

  • Wouldn’t it be nice to go for a walk? (More persuasive than ‘It would be nice to go for a walk’.)

The modal auxiliary verbs would, could and might also make questions and suggestions sound more polite.

  • I thought it would be nice to take a break. / Wouldn’t it be nice to take a break? (More polite than ‘I think it will be nice to take a break’.)

  • What would you like to drink, sir?

  1. May I suggest ….?

  2. You may/might like to …..?

  3. Have you considered/thought of …..?

  4. Would you care to …….?

  5. Why don’t we/you …..?

  6. Why not ……?

  7. How about ….?

  8. What about …..?

  9. Let’s / Let me …..

  10. Shall we ……..?

  11. I’ll tell you what. We’ll ……..

Practice / dialogue At the office

X : The All-India Conference begins in Delhi on Monday next. We have to send someone as our representative.

Z : Let’s ask Sunil to attend it.

X : Ah, no. Sunil is away in Bangalore and won’t be back before next Wednesday.

Y : How about D’souza?

X : Well, he’d have been the right person. But you know it’s unreasonable to ask him to go to Delhi when his father is incritical condition.

Y : Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.

O : Why not Mrs. Sindhu?

X : Yes, she can, if she is willing to.

Z : What about George? He seems to be relatively free these days.

X : All right. Let’s ask both George and Sindhu.

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