Making Suggestions: Let's, How About, Why Don't We

Why Learn to Make Suggestions?

Every day, we suggest things to other people: where to eat, what to watch, how to solve a problem. Making good suggestions -- and knowing how to respond to them -- is essential for natural conversation. In this lesson, you will learn many different ways to suggest ideas, from very casual to quite formal.

Ways to Make Suggestions

1. Let's + base verb

The simplest and most common way to suggest doing something together.

• Let's go to the cinema tonight.
• Let's have pizza for dinner.
• Let's not argue about this. (negative)
• Let's take a break.

When to use: Casual and friendly. Use with friends, family, and colleagues you know well.

2. How about / What about + verb-ing or noun

A friendly way to suggest something, often as an alternative.

• How about going to the beach?
• What about that new Italian restaurant?
• How about Saturday instead?
• What about inviting Tom?

When to use: Casual to semi-formal. Good for offering alternatives.

3. Why don't we/you + base verb

Suggests something by asking a question. Very natural and friendly.

• Why don't we meet at the cafe?
• Why don't you try the chocolate cake?
• Why don't we take a taxi instead?
• Why don't you ask your teacher for help?

Note: "Why don't we" = suggesting something for the group. "Why don't you" = suggesting something for the other person.

4. Shall we + base verb

Common in British English. A polite way to suggest something.

• Shall we start the meeting?
• Shall we order some drinks?
• Shall we go for a walk?
• Shall we invite the neighbors?

When to use: Polite, slightly formal. Common in British English.

5. We could + base verb

A softer suggestion, less direct. It presents the idea as a possibility.

• We could watch a movie tonight.
• We could try that new restaurant.
• We could go to the park if the weather is nice.
• You could take the train instead of driving.

When to use: When you want to be gentle or give options without pressure.

6. I suggest / I would suggest + verb-ing or that

More formal. Good for work situations or when giving advice.

• I suggest taking the earlier flight.
• I would suggest that we postpone the meeting.
• I'd suggest going to bed early before the exam.
• May I suggest a different approach?

When to use: Semi-formal to formal situations, meetings, professional advice.

7. If I were you, I would...

Used to give personal advice or suggest what the other person should do.

• If I were you, I would talk to your boss about it.
• If I were you, I'd book the tickets now.
• If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it.

When to use: Giving personal advice to a friend or someone who asked for your opinion.

8. You might want to / You may want to

A very polite, indirect suggestion.

• You might want to bring an umbrella -- it looks like rain.
• You may want to check the opening hours first.
• You might want to consider applying for that job.

When to use: Very polite. Good for giving gentle advice without being pushy.

How to Respond to Suggestions

Accepting a Suggestion

• "Great idea!"
• "Sounds good!"
• "Sure, let's do that."
• "That's a wonderful idea."
• "I'd love to!"
• "Why not?"
• "Perfect, let's go!"
• "Okay, that works for me."

Declining a Suggestion Politely

• "That's a nice idea, but I'd rather stay home."
• "I appreciate the suggestion, but I'm not sure about that."
• "Thanks, but I think I'll pass this time."
• "I'd love to, but I'm busy that day."
• "That sounds fun, but how about next weekend instead?"
• "Maybe another time?"
• "I'm not really in the mood for that, actually."

Making a Counter-Suggestion

When you decline, it is polite to offer an alternative:

• "How about we do ___ instead?"
• "What if we ___ rather than ___?"
• "I'd prefer to ___. What do you think?"
• "Why don't we ___ instead?"

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Weekend Plans (Casual)

Anna: I'm bored. Let's do something this weekend! Ben: Sure! How about going hiking? Anna: Hmm, the weather might not be great. What about going to a museum? Ben: That's a good idea! Or we could go to that new escape room downtown. Anna: Oh, I love escape rooms! Let's do that! Ben: Great, I'll book it for Saturday afternoon.

Dialogue 2: Dinner Plans (Semi-Formal)

Carlos: We need to choose a restaurant for the team dinner. Any ideas? Diana: How about that Thai place on King Street? The reviews are great. Carlos: I'm not sure everyone likes Thai food. Why don't we go to an Italian restaurant instead? Everyone likes Italian. Diana: Good point. I'd suggest Luigi's -- they have a big menu and it's not too expensive. Carlos: Sounds perfect. Shall we book a table for Friday at 7? Diana: Let's do it.

Dialogue 3: Giving Advice (Friendly)

Elena: I can't sleep at night. I keep worrying about work. Farid: That sounds stressful. If I were you, I'd try turning off your phone an hour before bed. Elena: I've tried that, but my mind keeps racing. Farid: You might want to try meditation. There are some good free apps. Or how about writing down your worries in a journal before bed? Elena: That's actually a good idea. I'll try the journal thing tonight. Farid: I hope it helps!

Dialogue 4: Work Meeting (Formal)

Grace: We need to reduce costs this quarter. Does anyone have suggestions? Henry: I would suggest that we renegotiate our supplier contracts. We could save about 10%. Grace: That's a good point. Any other ideas? Irene: May I suggest reviewing our marketing spend? We could shift more budget to digital channels, which tend to be more cost-effective. Grace: I like both suggestions. Let's create a plan for each and review them next week.

Formality Scale

From most casual to most formal:

1. Let's... (very casual)
2. How about / What about... (casual)
3. Why don't we/you... (casual-friendly)
4. We could... (soft, casual)
5. Shall we... (polite)
6. You might want to... (polite, indirect)
7. I would suggest... (formal)
8. May I suggest... (very formal)

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: "Let's to go" instead of "Let's go"

• Wrong: Let's to go to the beach.
• Correct: Let's go to the beach. (Let's + base verb, no "to")

Mistake 2: "How about to go" instead of "How about going"

• Wrong: How about to go shopping?
• Correct: How about going shopping? (How about + -ing)

Mistake 3: "I suggest to take" instead of "I suggest taking"

• Wrong: I suggest to take the bus.
• Correct: I suggest taking the bus. (suggest + -ing)
• Also correct: I suggest that we take the bus.

Mistake 4: Being too direct when declining

• Too direct: "No, I don't want to do that."
• Better: "That sounds nice, but I'd rather do something else. How about...?"

Practice Tips

1. Practice with a friend: Take turns making suggestions for weekend activities. The other person accepts or declines and makes a counter-suggestion.
2. Watch TV shows in English and notice how characters make suggestions. What phrases do they use?
3. Write mini dialogues for different situations: choosing a movie, picking a restaurant, deciding what to do on vacation.
4. Try using one new suggestion phrase each day in your real conversations.
5. Match the formality to the situation. Use casual phrases with friends and more formal ones at work or with people you don't know well.