What are Modal Verbs for Advice and Suggestion?
Modal verbs are special verbs that add extra meaning to the main verb in a sentence. They express things like possibility, necessity, or permission.
For advice and suggestions, modal verbs help us tell someone what we think is a good idea, or what they should do. They let us offer guidance in different ways, from gentle recommendations to strong warnings.
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How Do We Give Advice?
There are several common ways to give advice in English, each with a slightly different feeling.
- Should / Ought to: General Advice
These are the most common ways to give general advice. They mean something is a good idea or the right thing to do. Ought to is a little more formal than should, but they are often interchangeable.
- You should study for your exam.
- She ought to apologize.
- Had better: Stronger Advice with a Warning
Had better (often contracted to ‘d better) is stronger than should. It means that if you don’t follow the advice, there might be a negative consequence or problem. It’s often used for urgent or important advice.
- You’d better leave now, or you’ll miss your train.
- We had better finish this report today.
- If I were you, I’d…: Personal and Empathetic Advice
This phrase is used to give advice based on what you would do in the same situation. It’s a very personal and often empathetic way to offer guidance.
- If I were you, I’d talk to him about it.
- If I were you, I’d take a break.
- My advice is to…: Direct Advice
This is a more direct way to state your advice, often used when you want to be clear and firm.
- My advice is to save money for your trip.
- My advice to you is to get more rest.
How Do We Make Suggestions?
Making suggestions is similar to giving advice but often implies a choice or an idea for consideration rather than a strong recommendation.
- Suggest: Common for Ideas
Suggest is a versatile verb for making suggestions. It can be followed by different grammatical structures:
- Suggest + -ing (gerund): I suggest going to the park.
- Suggest + that-clause (with or without should): I suggest that you (should) try the new restaurant.
- Recommend: Similar to Suggest
Recommend works very similarly to suggest, especially when talking about things like books, movies, or places. It also takes a gerund or a that-clause.
- I recommend reading this book.
- She recommended that we (should) visit the museum.
- Why don’t you…?: Informal Suggestion
This is a friendly and common way to make a suggestion, especially in informal conversations.
- Why don’t you call her?
- Why don’t we go for a walk?
- How about…? / What about…?: Informal Ideas
These phrases are used to propose an idea or activity, often followed by a gerund.
- How about going to the beach this weekend?
- What about trying a new recipe?
Strength and Formality
The choice of expression depends on how strong you want your advice or suggestion to be, and how formal the situation is.
- Gentle Advice/Suggestion: Should, ought to, why don’t you…?, how about…?
- Stronger Advice/Warning: Had better, my advice is to…
- Personal Advice: If I were you, I’d…
- Neutral/Formal Suggestions: Suggest, recommend
| Expression | Structure | Strength / Formality |
|---|---|---|
| Should | Subject + should + base verb | General advice, neutral |
| Ought to | Subject + ought to + base verb | General advice, slightly more formal |
| Had better | Subject + had better + base verb | Strong advice, warning of negative consequence |
| If I were you, I’d… | If I were you, I would + base verb | Personal, empathetic advice |
| My advice is to… | My advice is to + base verb | Direct advice, firm |
| Suggest | Suggest + -ing O Suggest + that + subject + (should) + base verb | Neutral suggestion |
| Recommend | Recommend + -ing O Recommend + that + subject + (should) + base verb | Neutral suggestion, similar to ‘suggest’ |
| Why don’t you…? | Why don’t you + base verb? | Informal suggestion |
| How about…? / What about…? | How/What about + -ing? | Informal suggestion, proposing an idea |
Esempi
- You should get more sleep.
- We ought to arrive early.
- You’d better not be late for the meeting.
- If I were you, I’d apologize immediately.
- My advice is to practice English every day.
- I suggest visiting the local market.
- They recommended that she take a break.
- Why don’t you try learning a new language?
- How about having dinner together tonight?
Esercitazione
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Errori comuni per chi parla spagnolo
Errori comuni per chi parla spagnolo
- Utilizzo di must for advice: In Spanish, ‘deber’ can be used for advice, but in English, must implies obligation or strong necessity, not just advice. Use should oppure ought to instead.
Errato: You must study harder. (Too strong, sounds like an order)
Corretto: You should study harder. - Incorrect verb form after suggest / recommend: Remember that these verbs are followed by a gerund (-ing form) or a that-clause, not an infinitive.
Errato: I suggest to go.
Corretto: I suggest going. oppure I suggest that you go. - Confuso should e had better: While both give advice, had better carries a stronger sense of urgency and a warning of negative consequences.
Incorrect (if no warning is intended): You’d better eat your vegetables. (Sounds like a threat)
Corretto: You should eat your vegetables. (General advice)
Domande frequenti
What is the difference between ‘should’ and ‘ought to’?
Entrambi should e ought to mean the same thing: something is a good idea or the right thing to do. Ought to is slightly more formal and less common in everyday spoken English than should. Ad esempio, You should call your mother e You ought to call your mother have almost identical meanings.
When should I use ‘had better’ instead of ‘should’?
Utilizzo had better when the advice is urgent or when there will be a negative consequence if the advice is not followed. Should is for general, less urgent advice. For instance, You should wear a coat is general advice, but You’d better wear a coat, it’s freezing outside implies a risk of getting cold if you don’t.
How are these modal verbs tested in the B2 First exam?
In the B2 First (FCE) exam, you might encounter these modal verbs in various sections. For example, in the Use of English Part 2 (Open Cloze) or Part 3 (Word Formation), you might need to choose the correct modal or form. In the Writing paper, especially in emails or letters giving advice, you’ll need to use these structures accurately to express your ideas clearly and appropriately for the task.
Can I use an infinitive after ‘suggest’ or ‘recommend’?
No, you cannot use an infinitive directly after suggest oppure recommend. You must use either the -ing form (gerund) or a that-clause. For example, say I suggest trying the local food oppure I suggest that you try the local food, not I suggest to try the local food.
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