Reporting Suggestions
Direct Suggestions
Suggestions often use:
- “Let’s…”
- “Why don’t we…?”
- “How about…?”
- “We should…”
- “Shall we…?”
Structure 1: suggest + -ing
suggested + verb-ing
Direct: “Let’s go to the beach.” Reported: She suggested going to the beach.
Direct: “Why don’t we take a break?” Reported: He suggested taking a break.
Direct: “How about having lunch now?” Reported: She suggested having lunch.
Structure 2: suggest + that clause
suggested + (that) + subject + verb
Direct: “Let’s go to the beach.” Reported: She suggested (that) we go to the beach.
Direct: “Why don’t we take a taxi?” Reported: He suggested (that) we take a taxi.
Note: In American English, the subjunctive (base form) is used. In British English, “should” is often added.
British vs. American
- American: He suggested that she go early.
- British: He suggested that she should go early.
Other Verbs for Suggestions
Recommend
- She recommended visiting the museum.
- He recommended that I see a doctor.
Propose
- They proposed postponing the meeting.
- She proposed that we meet next week.
Advise
- She advised taking an umbrella.
- He advised that I apply early.
Common Patterns Summary
| Direct | Reported (suggest + -ing) | Reported (suggest + that) |
|---|---|---|
| “Let’s eat out.” | suggested eating out | suggested that we eat out |
| ”Why don’t we wait?“ | suggested waiting | suggested that we wait |
| ”How about meeting at 6?“ | suggested meeting at 6 | suggested that we meet at 6 |
Negative Suggestions
Direct: “Let’s not go there.” Reported: She suggested not going there.
Direct: “Why don’t we not mention it?” Reported: He suggested that we not mention it. (Or: He suggested not mentioning it.)
Practice Examples
Direct: “Let’s take a taxi. It’s faster.”
Reported: She suggested taking a taxi because it was faster.
Direct: “Why don’t you apply for this job?” he said to me.
Reported: He suggested that I apply for the job.
Suggestion verbs (suggest, recommend, advise) can be followed by different structures: suggest + -ing (“He suggested going”), suggest + that-clause (“He suggested that we go”), or suggest + object + (should) in formal contexts.