Making and Responding to Suggestions

Let’s hear our example again, but this time with Why don’t:

Why don’t we go to Chez Philip?

Why not..?

Why not also uses the negative not. But this phrase is a little different from the other phrases. It is usually used to make more general suggestions. Advertisers often use Why not for selling products or services.

The structure is Why not + simple verb form

Listen:

Why not treat yourself to a Caribbean holiday?

In this example, the subject is you, but it is not directly stated. And, the verb is treat.

Shall…?

Using Shall is another way to make a suggestion. However, it sounds a lot more formal and is more common in British English than American English.

The structure is: shall + subject + simple verb form

For example:

Shall we go to Chez Philip?

One thing to note when using Shall to make suggestions: it is only used with the subjects I and we. We would not say, Shall you to offer an idea.

Let’s…

Sometimes, suggestions are expressed in statements instead of questions, such as with the phrase Let’s.

Let’s is a contraction for the words let us. It is used to tell someone what you want to do with them.

The structure is Let’s + simple verb form

Listen:

Let’s go to Chez Philip!

In this sentence, the subject is us.

So, how do you respond to friendly suggestions? You can either accept or decline.

Accepting

A few phrases for accepting a suggestion are:

That’s a good/great idea!
That sounds good/great.
Perfect!
Thanks! I’d love to.

Declining

A few phrases for declining a suggestion include:

I’d prefer…
That’s a good idea but…
I’m not sure.

When you decline a suggestion, you may want to then politely suggest something else. For example:

I’m not sure. Chez Philip is not my favorite. How about Fearless Farmers?

Making and responding to suggestions in English takes practice. But it’s one of the more fun things you can do with a classmate, friend or family member.

You can also practice in our comments section. Try using a few of the phrases you learned today to make a friendly suggestion.

I’m Alice Bryant.

Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Words in This Story

conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people

gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing

imply – v. to express something without saying or showing it plainly

negative – n. a word or statement that means “no” or that expresses a denial or refusal

formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing

prefer – v. to like something better than something else

contraction – n. the act or process of making something smaller or of becoming smaller

decline – v. to say no to something in a polite way

polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people

practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it