Suggestions

Suggestions

Making Suggestions

shall I/we + infinitive:

what/how about + gerund/noun:

 suppose I/we/you + present or past tense:

 Suggestions in indirect speech

First person suggestions with let's or shall I/we

let's + infinitive:

Let's paint it ourselves.

shall we is sometimes added:

Let's get the paint today, shall we?

shall I/we + infinitive:

Shall we invite Bill?

Suggestions with let's or shall we can be answered affirmatively by yes, let's. let's not could be used jokingly as a negative answer:

Let's take the tent. ~ Let's not! Or it can introduce a negative suggestion:

Let's not start too early. don't let's could also be used here:

Don't let's start too early.

First and second person suggestions

why don't we/you + infinitive or why not + infinitive/expression of time or place;

Why don't we meet and discuss it?

Why not meet and discuss it?

Where shall we meet?

~ Why not here?Why not at the hotel?

 In colloquial English

what's wrong with/what's the matter with + noun could also be used:

What's wrong with the hotel?

what/how about + gerund/noun:

Where shall we sleep?

What about renting a caravan?

What about a bed and breakfast place?

 suppose I/we/you + present or past tense:

Suppose you offer/offered to pay him?

First, second or third person suggestions with suggest or propose

suggest (+ possessive adjective) + gerund, or suggest that •+• subject + present tense/should.

propose is used in exactly the same way but is slightly more formal than suggest.

In the active, suggest + should + infinitive is more formal than suggest + a present or past tense.

I suggest (your) selling it.

We suggest that you should sell it. (formal)

I propose that the secretary sends in/should send in a report, (formal)

I propose that a report (should) be sent in. (formal) that. . . should is necessary in the passive. With should be it is possible in formal English to omit the should, leaving the be alone, as shown above.

 Suggestions in indirect speech

Suggestions can be reported by:

suggest/suggested (+ possessive adjective) + gerund, or suggest that + subject + present tense/should, or suggested that + subject + past tense/should, or suggest (any tense) + noun/pronoun:

Tom suggests/suggested (our) having a meeting.

Ann suggests that he sells/should sell his house.

Ann suggested that he sold/should sell it.

Mr Jones suggested a meeting.