5 Ways to Make Suggestions that Get Heard

Suggestions are another way of saying do it my way. The person making suggestions is telling you how they would do it, if they were doing it.

Unappreciated:

The worst suggestions come after you’re done and someone says, “Next time you could ….”

You think, next time you do it. Jerk!

Suggestion-makers look like they feel superior.

Suggestions feel like ingratitude. People with “ideas” should just get out of the way so you can get something done.

The harder you work the more suggestions from bystanders feel like a punch in the gut.

“To accept good advice is but

to increase one’s own ability.” Goethe

Don’t:

1. Explain.
2. Lash out.
3. Make excuses.
4. Say, “That’s stupid.”
5. Hand them the broom in disgust and say you do it!

Don’t punish people who have ideas. But, ignore people who just want things done their way.

Do:

1. Say, “Thank you. Maybe we can use your ideas next time.”
2. Ask if they would like to be involved.
3. Smile and let it go. It’s not worth being upset.

Make suggestions effectively?

The trouble with suggestions is the pursuit of excellence demands them. Tweaks are another way of enhancing efficiency and achieving better
results.

Express curiosity before making suggestions.

Ask:

1. What goals are you shooting to achieve?

2. What are your frustrations?
3. How can I help?

5 Suggestions on making suggestions:

1. Avoid thinking everyone has your strength and should do things your way. Do your suggestions align with their strengths?
2. Begin conversations by asking, “What’s working?” and, “What’s not working?” It’s a waste to ask, “How are things going?”
3. Make after action reports – suggestions – part of the system.
4. Ask, “What if we tried ….?”
5. Get involved.

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Suggestions and Advice in English

You can use the following words and expressions in conversations to make suggestions and give advice to people.

Suggestions

should

"You should try to practise English."

"You shouldn't translate too much."

Why don't you

"Why don't you join an English club?"

ought to

"You ought to read more."

If I were you, I'd...

"If I were you, I'd watch more television."

*All these expressions are followed by a verb, without to. For example: "He should visit the Eiffel Tower." (Not "he should to visit the Eiffel
Tower.")

For more information on using would, ought and should, see our page on modals.

suggest and recommend

Either use a verb + ing

"I suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower." (We should all go.)

OR use that + a verb without to

"I suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." (I'm not going.)

OR use a noun
"I recommend the lasagne." (It's a very good dish to choose in this restaurant.)

Advice

Remember the difference between the verb and the noun form of this word.

advise (verb)

"I advise you to buy a good dictionary." (The pronunciation is ad - vaiz)

advice (noun)

"Can you give me some advice?" (The pronunciation is ad - vais)

Advice is an uncountable noun. This means that we can't say an advice. Instead, we say some advice or a piece of advice.

"Let me give you some advice."

"She gave me a very useful piece of advice: to buy a good dictionary."

Speaking tip

Many people don't like getting advice if they haven't asked for it! To avoid giving the wrong impression, you can try some of these expressions:
"You could always..."

"Have you considered..."

"Perhaps we could..."

"Do you think it's a good idea to..."

"Have you thought about..."

"In your position, I would..."

"You should perhaps..."

‘’’’’

Good Advice: advice and suggestions

Giving advice and making suggestions are two different language functions, but in real life they often go together. If you are only interested in
suggestions, CLICK HERE. Let’s see here some very common constructions you can use to give advice to a friend.

SHOULD
You should go to the doctor, he’ll tell you what to do
You shouldn’t go to bed so late, you need more sleep

WHY DON’T YOU

I know it’s difficult to find, but why don’t you look on the Internet?
Why don’t you wait here for a moment, I’m sure she will be back very soon

HOW ABOUT + ING (or YOU + bare infinitive)

You look bored. How about going for a walk? We could go to the river.
How about you stay here and I go and look for help?

MUST/HAVE TO [strong advice]

You must go to the doctor immediately, that looks serious.
You have to take her to that movie, she’s going to love it.

IF I WERE YOU (+ would)

If I were you, I’d send her an e-mail saying sorry
If I were you, I wouldn’t buy that book

YOU’D BETTER (not) + bare infinitive (colloquial often: YOU BETTER...)

You’d better not call her now, she must be too angry with you
You better come to my house and ask my father

YOU’D BE CRAZY (not) TO

That girl is wonderful. You’d be crazy not to love her
The house you showed me is so expensive. You’d be crazy to buy it.

IT’S HIGH TIME YOU (+ simple past)

You can’t be with that job all your life. It’s high time you started looking for a new job.
I think it’s high time we went home, it’s too late.

SUGGEST (+ that you (should) )

I suggest that you eat more vegetables
I suggest that you should take a holiday, you look so tired
IMPERATIVES (start, stop, try, consider...) + ing
Stop drinking so much coffee, it’s not healthy
Start going to the gym
Try talking to him, you may convince him
Consider buying a new bicycle and give the old one to your little brother

Notes: In British English Advice is the noun, Advise is the verb

He always gives very good advice.
I advise you to buy the cheaper one
"Advice" is an uncountable noun, so you can’t say “an advice”, you must say “some advice” or “a piece of advice”
I’ll give you some advice, if you want to listen
That was only a piece of advice, not an order