5 What shall we
do today?
In this unit you will learn how to:
• make suggestions to do things
• accept and decline suggestions
• discuss plans
• ask about and talk about likes and dislikes
• offer people things
• choose between things
Dialogue 1
Andrew and Kim are wondering what to do.
A
NDREW
: What shall we do this evening?
K
IM
: How about going out?
A
NDREW
: Good idea. Where shall we go?
K
IM
: We could go down the pub and have a drink, or we
could go to the cinema.
A
NDREW
: Which would you prefer?
K
IM
: I don’t mind really.
A

: And you’d better get your wallet as well – you’re
paying!
Dialogue 3
Mike and Sandra have got some friends from Belgium, Koen and
Kim, staying with them.
M
IKE
: What shall we do with Koen and Kim this evening?
S
ANDRA
: How about eating out?
M
IKE
: Yes. Or we could eat in, and then take them out for
a drink.
S
ANDRA
: I don’t feel up to cooking tonight. Why don’t we go
around some of the pubs in town, then we can end up
at the Indian for a late dinner?
M
IKE
: Great idea. They can try out Indian food, and we can
get a taxi back home.
S
ANDRA
: I’ll go and ask them what they think.
Dialogue 4
Andy phones Bob, whose wife Nina is Danish, with a suggestion.
A

: Perfect. See you later.
A
NDY
: Bye.
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Let’s go to the pub.
A
NDY
: Fine. I wouldn’t mind having a drink – I’m quite
thirsty, actually. What do you think, Nina?
N
INA
: OK by me. We can discuss Danish cinema over some
beers, can’t we?
Language point 29 – making suggestions
to do things
There are a number of ways of making a suggestion to someone to
do something. Three of the most common are:
Shall we . . . ? (followed by the
BASE
-
FORM
of the verb)
Why don’t we . . . ? (followed by the
BASE
-
FORM
of the verb)
and
How about . . . ? (followed by the
ING
-
FORM
of the verb)
66

check if it’s okay with the person you’re speaking to by adding the
tag . . . , shall we?
Let’s stay in tonight, shall we?
Let’s go and see if Jeremy’s in, shall we?
Let’s phone for a pizza, shall we?
Exercise 1
Complete the suggestions, using the right form of the verb. The first
one has been done for you.
1 How about (drive
/driving) to the seaside?
2 Why don’t we (watch/watching) a film on DVD?
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9 Shall we (stay/staying) in tonight?
10 How about (go/going) for a swim?
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks with the right words in these suggestions and
responses. The first one has been done for you.
1 Shall we
get a takeaway? No, I don’t feel like that today.
2 How ___ going shopping? ___ idea!
3 ___ ___ having a walk into ___, ___ do something else.
town?
4 ___ don’t ___ go fishing? ___!
5 Shall ___ order some food? All right ___ .
6 ___ we organise a party? Why ___ ?
7 ___ ___ hiring some bikes? No, I’d ___ do something else.
8 Why ___ ___ call on Jerry? Good ___!
9 ___ about listening to some No, I don’t ___ to.
music?
10 ___ ___ go to the pub? ___ then, let’s do that.
Exercise 3
Make the following suggestions to someone using the words given.
The first one has been done for you.
1 go to the cinema How about going to the cinema?
(how)
2 go swimming ___________________________ ?
(shall)
3 organise a party ___________________________ ?
(let’s)
4 practise our English ___________________________ ?
(why)
5 wash the car ___________________________ ?