Making suggestions, accepting, declining in English

Summary

In this lesson, Chrisa from A-List English teaches practical expressions for making, accepting, and declining suggestions in everyday conversation. She explains how to use phrases like 'How do you feel about…', 'Why don’t we…', 'How about…', and 'Let’s…' to suggest activities. The video also covers ways to respond positively, such as 'I’m up for it' or 'Sounds great,' and politely decline, using expressions like 'Maybe some other time,' 'I’m tied up,' or 'Let’s take a rain check.' Informal options like 'I’m game' and 'Fancy…?' are included, providing learners with natural, conversational ways to interact with friends.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use 'How do you feel about… + -ing' to make suggestions, e.g., 'How do you feel about watching a film?'
• 😀 Use 'Why don’t we… + infinitive' to suggest activities, e.g., 'Why don’t we catch a movie tonight?'
• 😀 'How about…' can be used with -ing or with a subject + verb, e.g., 'How about going out tonight?' or 'How about we go out tonight?'
• 😀 Use 'Let’s…' to make suggestions, e.g., 'Let’s catch a movie.'
• 😀 Use 'We could…' to suggest possibilities, e.g., 'We could go on a trip.'
• 😀 Accept suggestions with phrases like 'Yeah, sounds great', 'I’m up for it', or 'I’m in'.
• 😀 Informally accept suggestions with 'I’m game' or 'I’ll take you up on that'.
• 😀 Politely decline suggestions with phrases like 'Well, maybe some other time', 'I’m not up for that', or 'Let’s take a rain check'.
• 😀 Express being busy with 'I’m tied up' or 'I’m a bit pressed for time'.
• 😀 Use 'Fancy + -ing' to ask if someone wants to do something, e.g., 'Do you fancy getting some coffee?'

Q & A

What are some common expressions used to make suggestions in English?

Some common expressions to make suggestions include 'How do you feel about...', 'Why don’t we...', 'How about...', and 'Let’s...'. For example, 'How do you feel about catching a movie tonight?' or 'Let’s go for a walk.'

How can you accept a suggestion politely in English?

You can accept a suggestion by saying 'Sounds great', 'I’m up for it', 'I’m in', or 'I’ll take you up on that'. These responses show enthusiasm and agreement, like 'Yeah, sounds great!' or 'I’m up for it!'

What does the expression 'I’m game' mean?

'I’m game' is an informal way to say that you're interested in doing something. It’s like saying 'I’m up for it' or 'I’m in'. For example, 'Let’s go to the beach!' – 'Yeah, sure, I’m game!'

What does 'Let’s take a rain check' mean?

'Let’s take a rain check' means you can’t do something right now, but you’re open to doing it at a later time. It’s a polite way to decline a suggestion with the intention of accepting it later.

How can you decline a suggestion politely in English?

To decline a suggestion politely, you can say 'Maybe some other time', 'I’m not up for that', 'Let’s take a rain check', or 'I’m tied up right now'. These responses show that you're not interested at the moment but may be open to it later.

What is the difference between 'How about...' and 'How do you feel about...?'

Both 'How about...' and 'How do you feel about...?' are used to make suggestions, but 'How about...' is typically followed by a gerund (-ing form), while 'How do you feel about...?' is often followed by a verb in the -ing form as well. For example, 'How about going for a walk?' and 'How do you feel about watching a movie?'

What does 'I’m tied up' mean?

'I’m tied up' means that you are busy or occupied with something else. It's a common way to say that you can’t do something at the moment because you're busy.

When should you use 'I feel like doing something'?

'I feel like doing something' is used when you're in the mood for a particular activity. For example, 'I feel like getting some coffee' means you’re in the mood for coffee right now.

Can you use 'How about' with a subject and a verb?

Yes, 'How about' can be used with a subject and a verb, even though it’s not always grammatically perfect. For example, 'How about we go out tonight?' or 'How about we catch a movie?'

What is the meaning of 'pressed for time'?

'Pressed for time' means that you don’t have enough time to do something. It’s another way to say you are busy or running out of time.