Suggest is a tricky verb in English. We use it in lots of different grammatical structures, but there are some where we don’t use it as well. For example, we might suggest doing something but we don’t say suggest to do or suggest me. These phrases are wrong.
Also when you want to make a suggestion, to sound natural, you might need to use a phrase without the verb suggest. Watch the video to see examples and avoid mistakes.
Click below to learn about some more useful verbs that are always or often followed by gerunds:
avoid and prevent
mind
try to do and try doing
stop to do and stop doing
be used to
‘Suggest’ video script
If you’re taking an exam like IELTS, TOEIC or TOEFL, this is a verb you’ll want to get right.
Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?
Why don’t we try the Chinese place?
Or how about Victor’s Bistro?
Good idea! Let’s book a table.
A lot of the time when we suggest things, we don’t use the verb ‘suggest’. We make suggestions with phrases like these instead.
Why don’t we try the Chinese place? Or how about Victor’s Bistro? Good idea! Let’s book a table.
Suggest’ is quite a formal word. We use it when we want to be explicit – so to be exact and clear that someone is making a suggestion.
What are you doing, Lola? Playing a game. I suggest you do your homework first, then play the game.
What are you doing, Lola? Playing a game. I suggest you do your homework first, then play the game.
How are we getting to the meeting? By car. You know, I’m worried about the traffic at that time of day.
Are you suggesting we take the train? Yes. OK. Vicki, can you book the tickets? Sure.
How are we getting to the meeting? By car. You know, I’m worried about the traffic at that time of day.
Are you suggesting we take the train? Yes. OK. Vicki, can you book the tickets? Sure.
There are a lot of mistakes in this report, Jay. Why don’t you do it again? Well, I could just change this and this. I suggest you do it again. Oh.
There are a lot of mistakes in this report, Jay. Why don’t you do it again? Well, I could just change this and this. I suggest you do it again. Oh.
We often use the word ‘suggest’ to report what someone said.
Hello? Oh hi, Jennifer.
Hey Jay. Can you send me that report?
I’m still working on it.
I thought you’d finished it.
Well Vicki suggested that I do it again.
Ah!
And here’s where it gets tricky. There are lots of different structures we can use to report what someone suggests.
All of these are correct. But there are structures that are wrong as well. Here are two mistakes you don’t want to make.
First, we don’t use an infinitive form after suggest. This is wrong.
Second, we can suggest something to someone, but we can’t suggest someone something.
These are the two mistakes students make most often, so let’s look at another example.
Or how about Victor’s Bistro? Good idea. Let’s book a table.
And don’t forget Action AC. When we make suggestions normally we don’t use the verb ‘suggest’. We use phrases like these.
OK, let’s open the office suggestion box.
Yeah!
Two suggestions!
That’s great.
Open the first one.
OK. ‘Why don’t we create a Facebook page for our company?’ I like this idea.
That’s a very good suggestion. Read the second one.
OK. ‘How about having casual dress days at the office every day of the week?’
Hmmm. That’s an interesting idea.
I wonder who suggested that.
Click below to learn about some more useful verbs that are always or often followed by gerunds:
avoid and prevent
mind
try to do and try doing
stop to do and stop doing
be used to