Giving Advice and Suggestions

Giving Advice and Suggestions, Speculating about People and situation, Showing Certainty and Uncertainty.

by Ms. Lydia Nuari Dewi

​Giving Advice and Suggestions in English:

Definition, Examples, and Exercises

​What’s the Difference Between Advice and Suggestions?

​Suggestions are ideas, plans or actions that are suggested or the act of suggesting it that someone should think about. Meanwhile, advice is what someone offers you (in the form of opinion) about what you should do or how you should act in a particular situation.

​Expressions of Giving Advice and Suggestions

The following are examples of expressions of giving advice and suggestions:

​​Asking for Suggestions

Examples:

1. What shall we do?

​2. Has anybody got any ideas about our next project?

​Making Suggestions

A. To others, or ourselves and others

​Examples:

1. Why don’t you / we / etc. go to the cinema?

2. You could (always) go to the cinema.

3. How about going to the cinema?

4. What about going to the cinema?

​

​B. To ourselves and others

​Examples:

1. Let’s go to the cinema.

2. Shall we go to the cinema?

3. Let’s go to the cinema, shall we?

​Responding to Suggestions

​A. Accepting the suggestions

Examples:

1. That is a good idea.

2. That sounds like a good idea.

3. Yes, let’s go.

4. Yes, OK

B. Refusing the suggestions

Examples:

1. Good idea, but I am busy this evening.

2. I think I’d prefer to be at home in tonight.

3. Couldn’t we stay in tonight?

​A d v i c e

​Responding to advice

A. Accepting the advice

Examples:

1. That is a good idea.

2. That sounds like a good idea.

3. Yes, I will do that.

4. Yes, I could / should.

​

B. Rejecting the advice

Examples:

1. Thank you. It is a good idea but I can’t do it.

2. Yes I could / should do it, but I can’t.

3. I know, but I can’t

​Asking for advice

​Examples:

1. What shall I do?

2. What do you think I should do?

3. What would you do / say if you were in my position?

​

​​Giving advice

Examples:

1. I think you should change jobs.

2. If I were you I’d change jobs.

3. You’d (had) better change jobs.

​Things You Need to Know About Giving Advice and Suggestions

​You can use imperative sentences to give advice to others, especially when you are sure that your advice is true. For example:

​

Don’t leave the TV plugged in while you are away.

​

In everyday language, you can use the word “let’s” which means “let me” to ask for something (request) or offer something, and not a suggestion. for example:

Let’s take a look at your essay.

(which means: Give your essay to me so I can see it)

​Giving Advice and Suggestions Exercises

​Since you have been reading the explanation of this subject matter, now you can do this exercise to master it.

​​​Are the following sentences suggestions (s) or advice (a)?

​

Example:

Why don’t you tell him you don’t want to see him again? (s)

​​Let’s not go out tonight after all. ___

​If I were you I’d stop taking that medicine. ___

​I think you should buy yourself a nice new dress for the party. ___

​Why don’t we get married? ___

​Shall we cancel the holiday? ___

Multiple Choice

​​Let’s not go out tonight after all. ___

• Suggestion

• Advice

Multiple Choice

If I were you I’d stop taking that medicine. ___

• Suggestion

• Advice

Multiple Choice

I think you should buy yourself a nice new dress for the party. ___

• Suggestion

• Advice

Multiple Choice

Shall we cancel the holiday? ___

• Suggestion

• Advice

Multiple Choice

Why don’t we get married? ___

• Suggestion

• Advice

Open Ended

Someone does not know which way to go.

Open Ended

Your friend doesn't know what to buy for his mother's birthday.

​Speculating about People

​speculate \SPEK-yuh-layt\ verb. 1 a : to meditate on or ponder a subject : reflect. b : to review something idly or casually and often inconclusively. 2 : to assume a business risk in hope of gain; especially : to buy or sell in expectation of profiting from market fluctuations.

Speculating about people.

• ​Based on ..., I'd say he's/she's/it's ...

• ​Judging by ... , I (don't) think ...

• ​It looks/seems as if/as though ...

• ​He/she/it appears/doesn't appear to be ...

• ​The chances are (that) he's/she's/it's

• He/She could/might have ('ve) just + past participle (recent past).

• ​He/She could/might be + -ing (present).

• ​He/She could/might be about to + Infinitive (near future).

Speculating about situations.

​Showing Certainty

​Clearly, (there's a problem/something is wrong).

​It's obvious/clear (from the expression on his/her face) that ...

​

He/she/it is definitely/certainly (not) ...

​Showing uncertainty

​It's hard to be sure (wheater/if) ...

​

It's not easy to say (wheater/if) ...

​I can't really tell (wheather/if) ...

​PA Writing (Script Writing) and Speaking (Video).

​Here are the topics that you can choose :

​1. Which school subject do you feel is the most useful? why?

​2. Is it important for you to learn to drive? why? why not?

​3. What qualities should a good teacher or instructor have?

​4. Given the choice, which new subject or skills would you like to learn why?

​Writing Script (2 Paragraphs)

​1. What do you think about the topic. (Personal Opinion)

​2. The reason why you agree or disagree. (Speculate the situation)

​3. Give additional information about your reasons. (Supporting details)

​4. What do you suggest to other people to do about your choosen topic?