MakingSuggestions
Why don't we…? · How about…? · Shall we…? · group decision-making
Your level · You are here
Get Talking · Section 1
5 minStart the conversation
Suggest three things your group could do this Friday — fast.
What's the worst suggestion anyone's ever made to your group? What did you say?
Are you the decider in your friend group, or the agreer? Why?
Grammar · Section 2
8–10 minFive ways to suggest — and what comes after each
- Different suggestion phrases take different forms — this trips up most learners.
- Memorise the pattern: HOW ABOUT + -ing (How about going for pizza?).
- WHY DON'T WE + bare infinitive (Why don't we go for pizza?).
- SHALL WE + bare infinitive (Shall we go for pizza?).
- WHAT IF WE + bare infinitive (What if we tried somewhere new?).
- LET'S + bare infinitive (Let's go!). 'Shall we' is more British. 'Why don't we' is the safest all-rounder.
How about meeting at seven?
Why don't we try that new Thai place?
Shall we split the bill?
What if we cancelled and stayed in?
Let's just walk — it's only ten minutes.
Question 1.Choose the correct form: 'How about ____ for a walk?'
Question 2.Choose the correct form: 'Why don't we ____ a taxi?'
Question 3.Which is most BRITISH-sounding?
Question 4.What follows 'What if we'?
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
4.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Which is WRONG?
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to learn
I'm up for it
I'm willing / keen
In context
"Bowling? Yeah, I'm up for it."
Now try it yourself
Say one thing you're 100% up for this weekend.
I'm not really feeling it
soft 'no' to a suggestion
In context
"Karaoke? Honestly, I'm not really feeling it tonight."
Now try it yourself
What activity are you 'not really feeling' lately?
sounds good / great to me
agreeing with a suggestion
In context
"Pizza at eight? Sounds good to me."
Now try it yourself
Practise saying it three different ways with three different tones.
fair enough
I accept your reason / decision
In context
"You're tired? Fair enough — we'll do it another time."
Now try it yourself
Reply 'fair enough' to a partner's invented excuse.
I'd rather (not)
polite preference / refusal
In context
"I'd rather stay in tonight, if that's okay."
Now try it yourself
Finish: 'I'd rather not… because…'
let's just (do X)
the simplest solution
In context
"Let's just order a pizza and put a film on."
Now try it yourself
Suggest the laziest possible plan for tonight.
any thoughts?
throwing the decision back to the group
In context
"I don't mind either way — any thoughts?"
Now try it yourself
Use it after suggesting two options.
settle on
finally agree on
In context
"Right, can we settle on Italian then?"
Now try it yourself
Pretend your group has been arguing — settle on something.
Pick at least three words from above and use each one in a sentence about your real life. Say each one aloud before you write.
Ask your teacher (or a partner) a question that uses one of today's words. They reply using a different word.
Rank today's words from most to least useful for you this week. Defend your top choice.
Finish: "Honestly, I'd say…" using one of today's words.
Tip: aim to reuse at least two of these words later in the Speaking and Writing tasks.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minRising intonation on suggestions; question-tag-style 'shall we?'
Suggestions are questions, even when they look like statements. Use rising intonation on the last stressed word: 'How about PIZza?↗' / 'Shall we GO?↗'. 'Let's just stay IN tonight, shall we?↗' uses a tag — the rise on 'shall we?' invites agreement and sounds friendly, not bossy.
- • How about MEEting at seven?↗
- • Why don't we TRY the new place?↗
- • Shall we GO?↗
- • Let's stay IN tonight, shall we?↗
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhy groups can't decide where to eat
Anyone who has ever tried to organise a group dinner knows the ritual: 'I don't mind, you choose.' 'No, you choose.' Forty-five minutes later, you're eating crisps on someone's sofa, defeated.
Social psychologists call this the 'preference falsification' problem. In groups, most of us underclaim our preferences to seem easy-going. The result is that no one knows what anyone actually wants, and the loudest or hungriest person ends up deciding by default. The fix, researchers say, is the 'two-option rule': don't ask 'where shall we eat?' Instead, suggest two concrete options and ask the group to pick. 'How about Thai or pizza?' is far more useful than 'where shall we go?' because it converts an impossible open question into a binary one. Try it next time — your group will settle on something in under three minutes.
Question 1.What is 'preference falsification'?
Question 2.What is the 'two-option rule'?
Q1.Asking 'where shall we eat?' is more efficient than offering two options.
Q2.The two-option rule helps groups decide faster.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minThree friends try to plan a Friday night
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Olivia:Right, what are we doing tonight? Any thoughts?
Sam:I don't mind. You two choose.
Liam:Classic. Okay — how about going to that new ramen place on the corner?
Olivia:Hmm. I'm not really feeling ramen tonight — it's too hot.
Sam:Fair enough. Why don't we just walk along the river and find somewhere?
Liam:We always say that and then we end up eating crisps at yours.
Olivia:He's got a point. Shall we just settle on two options and vote?
Sam:Sounds good to me. Option one — the tapas bar on Greek Street. Option two — pizza and a film at mine.
Liam:Honestly, I'm up for tapas. We never go out anymore.
Olivia:Tapas for me too. Sorry, Sam — pizza next week?
Sam:Fair enough. Let's go. But I'm picking the wine.
Question 1.Why doesn't Olivia want ramen?
Question 2.What do they settle on?
Exam tip · Section 7
5 minSpeaking — group decision in 60 seconds
Task
In a group of 3, decide on a weekend activity in under 60 seconds. Each person must use 1 suggestion phrase and 1 response phrase.
Strategy
OPEN the floor ('Any thoughts?'). SUGGEST concretely with two options ('How about A or B?'). RESPOND honestly but briefly ('I'm up for A' / 'I'd rather not B because…'). SETTLE quickly ('Right, can we settle on A?'). The skill is decisiveness, not creativity.
Example
A: Right, any thoughts on Saturday? B: How about a hike in the morning or that new exhibition? A: I'm up for the hike — the weather's meant to be perfect. C: I'd rather do the exhibition, honestly. I'm not really feeling a long walk. B: Okay, what if we did the exhibition Saturday and the hike Sunday? A: Sounds good to me. C: Fair enough. Settled.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.How about ____ to the cinema?
Question 2.Why don't we ____ at eight?
Question 3.I'd rather ____ stay in tonight.
Question 4.Pizza or sushi? ____ thoughts?
Question 5.Right, can we ____ on Italian then?
There isn't one "right" answer — write a natural version, then compare with the model.
Q1.Suggest a plan with 'How about'.
Q2.Suggest a plan with 'Why don't we'.
Q3.Politely refuse a suggestion.
Q4.Wrap up a decision.
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 60–80 word group chat message suggesting a weekend plan with two concrete options. Use at least 2 different suggestion phrases.
Your answer
Your work saves automatically0 words
Show model answer
Hey team — quick one for Saturday. How about either the new street food market in the morning, or that beach walk Maya keeps talking about in the afternoon? I'm honestly up for either. Why don't we just pick one now so we don't end up scrolling Instagram and doing nothing again? Any thoughts? Maya — you suggested the beach last time, shall we settle on that and do the market next weekend? Let me know by tonight and I'll book.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Groups of 3–4: 'Plan the perfect weekend trip'. You have 5 minutes to agree on (1) destination (2) departure time (3) main activity (4) food plan. Everyone must use at least 2 suggestion phrases and 2 response phrases. The group that finishes first wins.
Useful phrases
- • How about + -ing…?
- • Why don't we + verb…?
- • Shall we + verb…?
- • What if we + verb (past form)…?
- • I'm up for it / I'd rather not.
Speaking reflection & notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
- AWhat shall we do tonight?
- B_______________
- AWant to come to the gym at 6am?
- B_______________
- AWe can't seem to decide between Thai and Italian.
- B_______________
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Record a 45-second voice note to a friend suggesting two weekend options. Use 3 suggestion phrases.
Write a group chat (5+ messages) where you and friends decide on a holiday destination.
Listen to a friends-based sitcom scene (e.g. Friends, Fleabag) and note 5 suggestion phrases.
Homework notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- HOW ABOUT + -ing · WHY DON'T WE + bare verb · SHALL WE + bare verb.
- Always offer TWO concrete options, not 'where shall we go?'
- Soft no: 'I'd rather not' / 'I'm not really feeling it'.
- Soft yes: 'Sounds good to me' / 'I'm up for it'.
- Close decisions with 'Right, can we settle on…?'