in everyday English
why don’t you/we
this is the usual way of making a suggestion in spoken English:
Why don’t you talk to her about it? | Why don’t we go out for a meal some
time?
let’s
used when suggesting that you should do something together soon:
Let’s meet in front of Shibuya station. | Let’s see what’s in the movie
guide.
if I were you, I would or I’d
used when suggesting what you think is the best thing for someone to do, based on your personal
experience and knowledge:
If I were you, I would be very careful about giving your address on any public websites. | If
I were you, I’d take it easy for the next few days.
how about/what about
used when someone has asked you to suggest a time, place, idea etc:
‘When’s a good day for you?’ ‘How about Monday?’ | ‘Where
do you think we should go?’ ‘What about Barcelona? It’s supposed to be
very beautiful.’
what do you think about
used when suggesting something, and asking someone what they think about it:
What do you think about a holiday in Greece? | What do you think about a party at my place on
Saturday?
you could always/we could always/there’s always
used when suggesting ideas to someone, when they are not sure about what to do:
You could always ask someone to record the programme for you. | We could always go for a
walk. | There’s always the pub on the corner.
less direct ways of making suggestions
what if/suppose
used when suggesting something as a possible idea:
‘What if we painted the room yellow?’ ‘That sounds a bit too bright to me.’
| Suppose you asked the same question in a different way?
People often make suggestions in
a less
direct way by using maybe or perhaps, or by using may/might,
for example in the following expressions:.
maybe we could/perhaps you could
used when making a suggestion in a less direct way:
Maybe we could ask people if they’d be interested in having a concert? | Perhaps you
could change the settings on your computer?
you might like to/you may want to
used when suggesting what someone should do in a less direct way:
You might like to ask them for their advice. | You might like to try giving your lawyer a
call. | If you’re thinking of buying a holiday home in the sun, you might like to
consider Croatia.