10 Simple Ways to Give Advice in English

Giving advice in English can be complex at times since there are many ways to do so.

These are some common ways to ask for advice and suggestions in English

What do you think I should do?

What should I do?

What do you suggest?

What do you advise me to do?

If you were me what would you do?

What ought I to do?

Do you think that I should…?

10 Ways to Give Advice in English

There are a number of expressions which we can use to give advice and make suggestions in English:

Should / Ought to  /  Had Better  /  Why not …? and why don’t …?  /  Conditional  /  Would

Imperative  /  How about/what about + -ing?  /  Let’s … and let’s not …  /  Could  /  Can’t you …?

#1: Modal Should

You can use the modal should to give suggestions in English

For example :

1-I think you should buy a new car.

2-I am pretty sure that she should move to another country.

3-It seems to me that you should pay her back as soon as you can

#2 Ought to

You can use Ought to give advice in English

1-You ought to do more exercise.

2-You ought not to drink so much beer.

#3 Had Better

This structure is common in spoken English and it is usually used in the contracted form.

1-You’d better return the answers to the lecturer

2-You’d better not tell anyone that you found them

#4 Why Don’t you?

You can make questions to make a less direct recommendation

1-Why don’t you do exercises more often?

2-How about joining  a gym nearby?

3-Why don’t you go a jogging?

#5 Conditional

If I were you … is used when giving ADVICE about what you would do in the same situation as the other person

If I were you, I would move to Italy next year

If I were you, I would enjoy my vacation

If I were you, I would make that hotel reservation right now.

#6 Would

A suggestion or recommendation is another good way of giving advice that isn’t to direct

Some Example of suggestions are:

1-I would suggest playing less video games

2-I would recommend resting more than 8 hours a day

3-I would suggest taking a holiday

4-I would suggest creating a business

#7 Use Imperative to Give Advice in English

We can use imperative verbs + ‘-ing’ to give advice.

Check these advices given to a person who wants to be fit

1-Start going to the gym

2-Read more often to improve spelling

3-Try running once at week

4-Consider joining  a running team

5-Try reaching customer support again

#8 How about/what about + -ing?

These are some examples about how to make suggestions in English with How about?

1-How about opening a new store?

2-How about working overtime?

3-How about buying an SEO course?

#9 Let’s … and let’s not …

These are some examples about how to make suggestions in English with let’s.

Let’s hire a new software developer

Let’s talk to the manager about it

Let’s not do that

Let’s talk to Mike

Let’s create a website

#10 Could and Can

These are some examples about how to make suggestions in English with could and can

Could you make more calls?

Can you postpone the meeting?

Can you find an easy fix for this problem?

Giving Advice in English: Situations

These are 3 situations that will help you practice how to give advice in English

Situation #1

I visited my Doctor and he told me that I should lose weight so tell me what I can do since I don’t have too much time to go to the Gym and I never like to follow a  strict diet.

Situation #2

I am going to be hired by an American company so I have to move to the United States in less than a year but the toughest part is that I have to be proficient in  English so tell me what I should do in these few months to improve it.

Situation #3

I am just a high school graduate but I don’t know what major to study or path to follow, my friends are making quick decisions and some of them are attending law school and medicine school and I don’t even know where to start, tell me what I should do first

Advice in English = Short Conversation

This is a short conversation about giving advice in English

Sarah     Hello Zeek

Zeek      Hi Sarah

Sarah     You look sad, what happened?

Zeek      I don’t understand Math and I have a test

Sarah     I don’t understand Math either

Zeek      I don’t know what to do, I wanna pass this class

Sarah     Why don’t we talk to Mike?

Zeek      That’s such a great idea

Sarah     Mike is good at Math

Zeek      I have his number