suggestions

There are many ways of suggesting a course of action to someone.

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You can say `You could...'.

You could make a raft or something.

You could phone her and ask.

`Well, what shall we do?' —-`You could try Ebury Street.'

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You can also use `How about...?' or `What about...?', followed by an `-ing' form.

How about taking him outside to have a game?

What about becoming an actor?

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Note that you can also use `How about...?' or `What about...?' with a noun group, to suggest that someone has a drink or some food, usually with you, or to suggest an arrangement.

How about a steak and a couple of pints?

What about a drink?

`I'll explain when I see you.' —-`When will that be?' —-`How about late tonight?'

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A more indirect way of suggesting a course of action is to use `Have you thought of...?', followed by an `-ing' form.

Have you thought of asking what's wrong with Henry?

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◊ firm suggestions

A firmer way of making a suggestion is to say `Couldn't you...?', `Can't you...?', or `Why not...?'

Couldn't you get a job in one of the smaller colleges around here?

Can't you just tell him?

Why not write to her?

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You can also use `Try...', followed by an `-ing' form or a noun group.

Try advertising in the local papers.

Try a little methylated spirit.

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A very firm way of making a suggestion is to say `I suggest you...'.

I suggest you leave this to me.

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If you want to suggest persuasively but gently that someone does something, you can say `Why don't you...?'

Why don't you go out and have a stroll along the towpath for half an hour?

Why don't you think about it and decide later?

Why don't you go to bed?

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For other ways of saying firmly what course of action someone should take, see entry at ↑ Advising someone.

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◊ less firm suggestions

If you do not feel strongly about what you are suggesting, but cannot think of anything better that the other person might do, you can say `You might as well...' or `You may as well...'.

You might as well drive on back to Famagusta by yourself.

You may as well go home and come back in the morning.

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◊ suggestions in writing and broadcasting

People who are writing or broadcasting make suggestions using expressions like `You might like to...' and `It might be a good idea to...'.

Alternatively, you might like to consider discussing your insurance problems with your bank manager.

You might consider moving to a smaller house.

You might want to have a separate heading for each point.

It might be a good idea to rest on alternate days between running.

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◊ suggesting doing something together

There are several ways of making a suggestion about what you and someone else might do.

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If you want to make a firm suggestion which you think the other person will agree with, you say `Let's...'.

Come on, let's go.

Let's meet at my office at noon. All right?

Come on now. Let's be practical. How can we help?

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You can make the suggestion seem persuasive rather than firm and forceful by adding the tag `shall we?'

I tell you what, let's slip back to the hotel and have a drink, shall we?

Let's do some of these letters, Mrs Taswell, shall we?

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For a negative suggestion, you say `Let's not...'.

Let's not talk here.

We have twenty-four hours. Let's not panic.

Let's not go jumping to conclusions.

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Another way of making a firm suggestion is to say `We'll...'.

We'll talk later, Percival.

`What do you want to do with Ben's boat?' —-`We'll leave it here till tomorrow.'

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Again, you can make the suggestion persuasive rather than forceful by adding the tag `shall we?'

We'll leave somebody else to clear up the mess, shall we?

All right, we'll change things around a bit now, shall we?

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Another firm way of suggesting is to say `I suggest we...'.

I suggest we discuss this elsewhere.

I suggest we go to the hospital in St Johnsbury right away.

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Another way of making a suggestion is to say `Shall we...?' You can make a suggestion like this sound firm or less firm by altering your tone of voice.

Shall we go and see a film?

Shall we make a start?

Shall we sit down?

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◊ less firm suggestions

When you want to make a suggestion without being too forceful, you use `We could...'. You use this form of suggestion when the issue of what to do has already been raised.

I did ask you to have dinner with me. We could discuss it then.

We could tow one of them in.

`I'm tired.' —-`Too tired for a walk, even? We could go to the Cave of Shulamit.'

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You can also make a non-forceful suggestion in an indirect way, using `I thought we...' or `I wonder if we...' and a modal.

I thought we might have some lunch.

In the meantime, I wonder if we can just turn our attention to something you mentioned a little earlier.

I wonder whether we could have a little talk, after the meeting.

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If you are unenthusiastic about your own suggestion, but cannot think of a better course of action, you say `We might as well...'.

We might as well go in.

We might as well go home.

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◊ very firm suggestions

If you want to make a very firm and forceful suggestion, which you feel is very important, you say `We must...'.

We must be careful.

We must hurry.

We must look to the future. We must plan.

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◊ suggestions about what would be best

When you are suggesting doing something which you think is the sensible thing to do, you say `We ought to...' or `We'd better...'. People often soften this form of suggestion by saying `I think' or `I suppose' first, or adding the tag `oughtn't we?' or `hadn't we?'

We ought to give the alarm.

Come on, we'd better try and find somebody.

I think we'd better leave.

I suppose we'd better take a look through the bushes.

We ought to order, oughtn't we?

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`I think we should...' is also used.

I think we should go back.

I think we should change the subject.

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If you are not sure that your suggestion will be accepted without argument, you say `Shouldn't we...?' or `Oughtn't we to...?'

Shouldn't we have supper first?

Shouldn't we be on our way?

Oughtn't we to phone for the police?

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You can also say `Don't you think we should...?' or `Don't you think we'd better...?'

Don't you think we'd better wait and see whether or not the charges stand up?

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◊ replying to a suggestion

The usual way of replying to a suggestion that you agree with is to say `All right' or `OK'. You can also say something like `Good idea' or `That's a good idea'.

`Let's dance now.' —-`All right then.'

`Let's not do that. Let's play cards instead.' —-`That's all right with me.'

`Try up there.' —-`OK.'

`What am I going to do?' —-`Lock him in a closet in his office is what I would do.' —-`That's a good idea.'

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You can reply `Yes, I could' to a suggestion starting with `You could'.

`You could get a job over there.' —-`Oh yes, I could do that, couldn't I?'

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A more casual way of replying is to say `Why not?'

`Shall we take a walk?' —-`Why not?'

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People also sometimes say `Fine' or `That's fine by me' when replying to a suggestion about doing something together. If they are very enthusiastic, they say `Great'.

`What about Tuesday?' —-`Fine.'

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If you do not agree with the suggestion, you can say `I don't think that's a good idea', `No, I can't', or `No, I couldn't'.

`You could ask her.' —-`I don't think that's a very good idea.'

`Well, can you not make synthetic ones?' —-`We can't, no.'

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You can also give a reason for not accepting the suggestion.

`I'll ring her up when I go out to lunch.' —-`Why not do it here and save money?' —-`I like my calls private.'

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