Hello English learners! Today, we are going to learn about advising and suggesting in English. This is super useful for everyday conversations. When your friend has a problem or needs help deciding what to do, you can use these phrases to give advice or make suggestions. It’s a great way to practice your spoken English and help your friends at the same time. This lesson is perfect for beginners (A1+ level) who want to improve their daily English conversation skills.

What is Advising and Suggesting?

Advising means telling someone what you think they should do. It’s like giving your opinion about the best action to take. Suggesting is a little softer; it’s offering an idea or a possibility for someone to consider. Both are important when you want to help someone or share your thoughts in a friendly way. Learning English phrases for advice is a key part of improving your spoken English practice.

For example, imagine your friend says, “I’m so tired.” You can give advice or a suggestion. Let’s look at some simple phrases we can use.

Simple Phrases for Advising and Suggesting

Here are some easy and common English phrases for advice and suggestions. We will focus on phrases that are perfect for beginners and useful in daily English conversation.

Basic Phrases

These phrases are very easy to learn and use. They are great for starting to give advice and make suggestions in English.

• You should… – This is a direct way to give advice.
  Example: Your friend says, “I have a headache.” You can say, “You should take some medicine.”
  Example: “I want to learn English.” You can say, “You should try Lingofrnd.com!”
• You could… – This is a softer way to give a suggestion. It offers a possibility.
  Example: “I’m bored at home.” You can say, “You could watch a movie.”
  Example: “I want to improve my English speaking.” You can say, “You could practice speaking with Lingofrnd.”
• Why don’t you…? – This is a friendly way to make a suggestion. It’s like asking a question, but it’s really a suggestion.
  Example: “I’m hungry.” You can say, “Why don’t you make a sandwich?”
  Example: “I need to practice English.” You can say, “Why don’t you Download App and practice on Lingofrnd?”
• How about…? – This is another friendly way to suggest something, often an activity. We usually use it with a verb + -ing.
  Example: “It’s a nice day.” You can say, “How about going for a walk?”
  Example: “Let’s practice English.” You can say, “How about practicing with Lingofrnd?”

More Phrases

Here are a few more phrases that are still simple but give you a bit more variety when advising and suggesting. These will help you learn how to give suggestions in different ways.

• I think you should… – This is a slightly softer and more polite way to give advice compared to just “You should…”.
  Example: “This shirt is too small.” You can say, “I think you should try a bigger size.”
  Example: “I’m not sure how to learn English.” You can say, “I think you should check out Lingofrnd.com. It’s really helpful!”
• Maybe you could… – This is a very gentle suggestion. It’s less direct and gives the person more choice.
  Example: “I can’t sleep at night.” You can say, “Maybe you could drink some warm milk before bed.”
  Example: “I want to speak English fluently.” You can say, “Maybe you could practice speaking every day with Lingofrnd.”
• Have you thought about…? – This is a way to introduce a new idea or suggestion, especially if the person is having a problem.
  Example: “I need to get to the airport, but I don’t have a car.” You can say, “Have you thought about taking a taxi?”
  Example: “I want to find a way to practice speaking English.” You can say, “Have you thought about using an AI English teacher like Lingofrnd?”

How to Use ‘Should’, ‘Could’, and ‘Why don’t you?’

Let’s look a little closer at three very common phrases: ‘should’, ‘could’, and ‘why don’t you?’. Understanding how to use them correctly will really improve your ability to give advice in English.

‘Should’

‘Should’ is used for stronger advice, often when you believe something is the right or best thing to do. It’s a direct suggestion, but still polite.
Example situations:

• Health advice: “You look very tired. You should get some rest.”
• Good idea: “It’s raining. You should take an umbrella.”
• Recommendation: “That movie is great! You should watch it.”

‘Could’

‘Could’ is used for softer suggestions, possibilities, or options. It’s less direct than ‘should’ and gives more choice to the person.
Example situations:

• Options: “I’m not sure what to eat.” “You could have pasta or a salad.”
• Possible solution: “The bus is late.” “You could take the subway instead.”
• Gentle suggestion: “This book is interesting. You could read it.”

‘Why don’t you…?’

‘Why don’t you…?’ is a friendly and informal way to make a suggestion. It’s often used for immediate actions or simple solutions.
Example situations:

• Immediate action: “I’m cold.” “Why don’t you put on a sweater?”
• Simple solution: “I don’t know how to do this.” “Why don’t you ask your teacher for help?”
• Friendly suggestion: “Let’s do something fun.” “Why don’t you invite your friends over?”

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s your turn to practice! Read each situation and choose the best phrase to give advice or a suggestion. Use ‘should’, ‘could’, or ‘Why don’t you…?’. Write your answers down, and then check them below.

1. Situation: Your friend wants to learn to play the guitar.
   You say: “You ___________ take guitar lessons.”
2. Situation: Your friend is thirsty.
   You say: “___________ get a drink of water?”
3. Situation: Your friend wants to improve their English pronunciation.
   You say: “You ___________ practice speaking English every day.”
4. Situation: Your friend is bored on a rainy day.
   You say: “You ___________ read a book.”
5. Situation: Your friend needs help with their homework.
   You say: “___________ ask your teacher for help?”
6. Situation: Your friend wants to find a good website to learn English.
   You say: “You ___________ try Lingofrnd.com. It’s great for learning English!”

Answers

1. Answer: You should take guitar lessons.
2. Answer: Why don’t you get a drink of water?
3. Answer: You should practice speaking English every day.
4. Answer: You could read a book.
5. Answer: Why don’t you ask your teacher for help?
6. Answer: You should try Lingofrnd.com. It’s great for learning English!

Great job! You are now starting to understand how to give advice and make suggestions in English. Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep using these phrases in your daily conversations. The more you practice, the more natural it will become!

To really improve your spoken English and practice advising and suggesting in real conversations, try Lingofrnd.com. Lingofrnd is an AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice English anytime, anywhere. It’s perfect for practicing phrases like these and building your speaking confidence. Download App today and start speaking English with confidence!

Keep learning and keep practicing! You are doing great!