Making Suggestion and Requesting Something

We often suggest ideas or things to do. Here are some common examples with seeing a film. You can use the structures to talk about other things, of course.

Expressions to use in speaking and writing:

1. Why don't we go to the cinema?
2. Let's go to the cinema. What do you think?
3. How about going to the cinema?
4. How do you feel about seeing a film?
5. Fancy seeing a film?
6. I'd like to see a film. How about you?
7. We could always see a film.
8. Why not go and see a film?
9. Seeing a film's one idea.
10. It would be nice to see a film.

Language for making suggestions
Question opener	+ subject	+ infinitive without 'to'
Why don't	I you we they	buy...? go...? meet...?
Why doesn't	he/she
Shall	I we
Question opener		+ infinitive without 'to'
I, you, he, she, we	should could	say... arrange... talk... eat... get...
Let's Why not
NotePerhaps and maybe can both be used before 'could' and 'should' if you want to sound more polite. Examples: Perhaps we could phone them. Maybe we should have a big party.

There are a number of formulas used when making suggestions. Here are some of the most common:

• Why don't you / we go to the movies tonight?
• You / we could visit New York while you're / we're there.
• Let's go to the travel agent's this afternoon to book our ticket.
• What about asking your brother for help?
• How about going to Hawaii for your vacation?
• I suggest you / we take all the factors into consideration before we decide.

Or :

• I think you should . . .
• I don’t think you should . . .
• Why don’t you . . .
• Why don’t we . . .
• Let’s . . .

Formula	Verb Form
Why don't you / we go to a movie?	Use the base form of the verb in a question
We / You could go to a movie.	Use the base form of the verb in a statement
Let's go to a movie.	Use the base form of the verb with 'let's'
What about going to a movie?	Use the '-ing' form of the verb in a question
How about going to a movie?	Use the '-ing' form of the verb in a question
I suggest you / we go to a movie.	Use suggest object verb in the base form in a statement.

Making and responding to a request

It's important to be polite when you ask for something.
You can make a request by using:

• Can you ...?
• Could you ...?
• Will you ...?
• Would you mind ...?

Here are some examples of how to make a request..

Can you Will you Could you possibly	open the door for me, please?
would you mind	opening the door for me ?

Making Request:

• Can you show me your photo album, please?
• Will you lend me your book, please?
• Could you possibly show me the way to the post office, please?
• Would you help me with this exercise, please?
• Would you mind lending me your pen, please?

Responding to request:

• Sure here you are.
• Okey.
• No, I'm sorry I need it
• I'm afraid I can't.

Things to remember about making a request:

1. "Would you mind..." is followed by a gerund (verb+ing)
Example:"Would you mind lending me your book? "
2. The response to the following request:
A: "Would you mind giving me your book? "
is either

• "No, I don't mind."(which is a positive response to the request. It means that I accept to lend you my book)
• or "Yes." (which is a negative response to the request. It means that I don't want to lend you my book.)

3. Could is more polite than can.