Suggestions: shall, can, could
We use shall we? to ask for and make suggestions.
Where shall we go? What time shall we leave? Shall we stay at home? Shall we play tennis tomorrow?
We use can and could to suggest possible actions.
We can watch TV if you like.
We could go to the cinema tomorrow.
In this use, could is less direct and more polite than can.
Preference: would rather
Would rather means 'would prefer to'. After would rather, we use the infinitive without to.
'Would you like to go on holiday in June?' 'I'd
rather go in July.'
Would you rather meet on Monday or Tuesday?
We form the negatives with would rather not.
I'd rather not lend him any money.
Note also the structure would rather (do something) than (do something else).
I'd rather take a taxi to the station than go by bus.
Note: would rather = would sooner
I'd rather/I'd sooner be a builder than an
architect.
Are you coming with us? — No, I'd rather/
sooner not.
Activities
I. Peter and Sally are trying to decide what to do this evening. Complete the conversation using the words in the box. Use some words more than once.
Why don't we Let's shall we How about could [
Peter: So, what ... we do this evening?
Sally: Well, we haven't got much money. ... staying in and
watching TV?
Peter: Oh, no! I'm fed up with watching TV. Sally: ... go out for a drink, then. We can afford one drink
each.
Peter: All right. Where ... go? Sally: ... go to The Tropical Bar? They have really good
music there.
Peter: Yes, but the drinks are very expensive. , Sally: That's true. Well, we ... go to the pub on the corner. Peter: Yes. They have very good videos. ... go there. Sally: I thought you said you were fed up with watching TV!
II. Answer the questions. Use could to suggest possibilities. Use should only if you want to give strong, definite advice.
Example. I need to get to the airport. Any suggestions? Possible Response. You could take a taxi or the airport bus.
Or I could take you if I can borrow my brother's
car.
Possible response. In my opinion, you should take the airport \ bus.
1. I don't have any plans for this weekend. I need some suggestions.
2. (...) and I want to go to a nice restaurant for dinner tonight. Any suggestions?
3. I need to get from here to (name of a place in this city/ town). Any suggestions?
4. (...) needs to buy an umbrella, but s/he doesn't know I. where to go. S/he needs some suggestions.
5. I'm hungry. I'm going to eat an egg. Give me some
suggestions on how to cook it. What are the possibilities?
6. I need to get a car, but it can't be very expensive. Any
suggestions?
7. I bought a (name of a car), but I'm unhappy with it. In
hindsight, can you suggest other possibilities for a kind of car I could have bought?
8.1 went (name of a place) for my vacation last summer, but I didn't enjoy it. In hindsight, can you suggest some other possibilities that I didn't think of? (I had only five days and a limited amount of money.)
9. I went to the food store yesterday and bought some bread.
That's all. But then when it came time for me to fix myself some dinner, all I had was some bread and butter. Suggest some possibilities of other things I could have bought.
10. (...) went to (name of a restaurant) for dinner last night, but the food was terrible. Do you have any hindsight suggestions?
III. Complete the conversation using would like to or would rather.
Julie: What ... (you) drink, Auntie? ... (you) have tea or coffee?
Aunt: I ... have tea, please.
Julie: What about you two boys. ... (you) have tea as well?
Boys: No, we ... have coffee, please.
Julie: OK. And what about Amanda? ... (she) drink something?
Aunt: No, I think she ... have anything at the moment. She ... sleep!
IV. Use I would rather ... to say what you prefer.
P> buy a TV set or save my money
I would rather save my money than buy a TV set.
1. go to the cinema or stay at home
2. buy a mountain bike or save money
3. revise for an English test or go to a party
4. look round a museum or watch a basketball match
5. go up in a rocket or go down in a submarine
6. work as a fashion designer or be a journalist
7. listen to music at home or go to a pop concert
8. learn windsurfing or take a course in parachute jumping
9. live abroad or stay in my country
10. play football or watch a football match on television
V. Supply negative short answers with I'd rather/I'd sooner
to these questions.
1. Are you coming with us? No, ... I'd rather/I'd sooner not.
2. Do you want to catch the next train? No, ...
3. Shall we go to a restaurant? No, ...
4. Do you want to go out tonight? No, ...
5. Shall we go to the country tomorrow? No, ...
6. Do you want to go swimming? No, ...
7. Shall we invite Betty Smith? No, ...
VI. Translate from Russian into English.
1. Когда мы сели в машину, он сказал: 'Мы могли бы прокатиться сейчас. Здесь недалеко есть одно место, которое я бы хотел тебе показать.' 2. Я бы предпочел не говорить тебе того, что я о нем знаю. 3. Мне совсем не хочется идти на этот вечер. Я бы предпочел остаться дома и поговорить с родителями. 4. Он предпочитал слушать других, чем говорить сам. 5. Он бы предпочел не уезжать еще. 6. Я бы предпочла сначала прочесть письмо. 7. Чем мы займемся сегодня вечером? — Мы могли бы сходить в кино. — Хорошая идея. 8. Сколько мне заплатить носильщику? — Решай сам. 9. Пообедаем сегодня где-нибудь? — С удовольствием. 10. Где мы остановимся в Москве? — Мы могли бы остановиться в гостинице 'Минск'. Это хорошая гостиница, и она расположена в центре города. 11. Поедем за город в воскресенье? — С удовольствием. 12. Чем мы сейчас займемся? Будем смотреть телевизор? — Я бы предпочел погулять, чем смотреть телевизор. 13. Я купил би-
леты на восьмичасовой сеанс. — Хорошо, а где и когда мы встретимся? — У кинотеатра в 7.40.
VII. Study and practise.
I. Jackie: Let's plan our summer holiday. Where would you rather go this year? Spain or Italy?
Jeff: Well, I'd really prefer to have an active holiday for a change — maybe walking in Switzerland or even canoeing in Scotland.
Jackie: If those are your only suggestions, I'd sooner stay at home! Come on — be reasonable. I'm not athletic and I need two weeks' sun every year!
Jeff: OK. Calm down. We'll do whatever you prefer. We usually do!
A. Respond to the following suggestions using I'd rather/I'd sooner.
Example: Do you want a coffee?
I'd rather/I'd sooner have an orange juice.
1. Let's go to an Indian restaurant.
2. Shall we play tennis this afternoon?
3. Let's paint the door red.
4. Would you like to watch television?
5. Do you want an apple?
6. Come for a walk.
2. Richard: Where shall we go for our holiday this year? Joan: We're going to Spain, aren't we? Richard: No, let's have a change. I'm tired of Spain. Joan: We can go to Greece if you like. Richard: No, I want to get away from the Mediterranean.
I'd rather have a holiday in the country. Joan: Well, what about Switzerland? We could rent a
chalet up in the mountains. Richard: I'm afraid that might be pretty expensive, and
anyway I'd rather go somewhere we haven't been
before.
Joan: Tibet?
Richard: Don't be silly, I'm serious ... I was thinking of Finland.
Joan: Isn't it rather cold and dark there?
Richard: Not in the summer. They have dozens of fantastic lakes and marvellous pine forests ... if you're lucky you may run into a big brown bear.
Joan: A wild one?
Richard: Yes, I believe there are still a few.
Joan: All right, see if you can get some brochures ...
A. Read the conversation below and then fill each gap with one of the modal verbs listed. Use each modal verb once only.
can/'d rather/might/could/can't
David: I'm not going out now, it ... rain.
Anne: Don't be so silly, you ... take an umbrella.
David: I don't like umbrellas, I always lose them.
Anne: Take this umbrella. But please, don't lose it — it
was expensive.
David: It's pink — I ... go out with a pink umbrella. Anne: Look, I must have that meat, or there won't be any
lunch.
David: We ... have frozen fish, or something like that. Anne: I haven't got any. David: I ... stay home than go shopping now.
B. Planning your coming holiday make up similar dialogues.
3. Victoria: Let's go away for the weekend — you and Gina,
mom and dad, George and I. Frank: OK. Victoria: Gina, would you rather go to the country or go
to the beach?
Gina: Gee, I don't know. I like to do both. Victoria: What about you, Frank? Frank: I'd rather not go to the country. I'd rather go
to a beach resort somewhere.
Victoria: Mom?
Mrs Russo: Actually, I'd rather stay home than go
anywhere. Besides, I'm too old to go to the
beach. Victoria: Oh, come on, Mom. You're never too old to
go swimming.
Dad, what about you? Mr Russo: I'm with your mother. Neither the country
nor the beach interests me very much. I think
we'll just stay here. Mrs Russo: Neither your father nor I travel very much,
Vicky, so why don't the four of you go
ahead?
A. Have a conversation with a classmate. Follow the instructions in the box below, using either the suggestions and choices in the list or your own ideas.
| Suggestions | Choices |
| Let's go away (take | Would you rather go to the coun- |
| a trip). | try or to the beach? |
| go out. | Would you rather go to a movie |
| or go dancing? | |
| go out to eat (go to | Would you rather go to an Italian |
| a restaurant). | restaurant or a French restau- |
| rant? | |
| go to a movie. | Would you rather see Lawrence |
| of Arabia or Gone with the Wind? | |
| watch TV. | Would you rather watch a news |
| program or a movie? | |
| get some exercise. | Would you rather play tennis or |
| go jogging? |
A: Make a suggestion: Let's ...
B: Agree: OK.
A: Give a choice: Would you rather ... or ... ?
B: State your preference or suggest an alternative: I'd rather
... (than ... )/I'd rather not ... A: Agree: That's fine.
4. Tom and Stella want to get married, but they can't find anywhere to live. Unfortunately Tom doesn't earn a large salary.
Tom: Don't worry dear, we'll find something soon. Stella: Perhaps we could get a mortgage and buy a house.. Tom: Houses are terribly expensive. Stella: Do you think your mother might let us make a flat
upstairs in her house? Tom: I don't really want to ask her, I'd rather find a place
of our own. Stella: Well, get the local paper again tomorrow. There may
be some flats to let advertised there. Tom: All right, I can telephone from the office. Stella: Yes, but if there is anything that might be suitable,
ring first thing in the morning, you know how quickly
they go.
A. Look at these two ideas:
I CAN telephone from the office. Perhaps we COULD get a mortgage.
Note that it would be possible to reverse CAN and COULD; however, the meaning would change slightly, because COULD is a more tentative suggestion than CAN.
I COULD telephone from the office. Perhaps we CAN get a mortgage.
Now make more suggestions using can or could in the following situations.
1. It is raining. You and your friend have a free afternoon. There is a good film on.
2. You and your friend are a bit tired. Sometimes you stay at .home in the evening.
3. You need some money urgently. You have a car worth £ 500.
4. You and your friend are waiting in a hotel lounge. An hour ago you had a pot of coffee. You think a fresh pot of coffee would be a good idea.
5. You need some money in a hurry. Sometimes it is possible to borrow money from the bank.
6. You and your friend run a small business. You had a burglary six months ago and another last night. Burglars are afraid of guard dogs.
7. You and your friend would like to find au pair jobs. Sometimes you can get a job like this through an agency.
8. Another way of finding a job like this is to put an advertisement in the paper.
Try and think of some more situations where WE CAN ... or WE COULD ... might be useful.
B. Look at these ideas:
There MAY be some flats to let advertised there.
Do you think your mother MIGHT let us make a flat
upstairs?
MAY and MIGHT are both used to express the idea PERHAPS, or IT IS POSSIBLE.
Use the ideas below to make two sentences.
a) With MAY suggesting a 50 per cent possibility
b) With MIGHT suggesting a 30 per cent possibility
1. It's possible that you will get a letter from Emily this week.
2. A new TV would be expensive. Perhaps they will be able to repair the old one.
3. There are black clouds in the sky, but it's possible that it won't rain.
4. You want a copy of a certain book. You find you can't get it locally. Perhaps you will get a copy in the city.
5. Your friend has flu and doesn't feel at all well. But this sort of flu doesn't last long.
6. You are wondering what you will do next year. You are not very happy with your present job. There are often good opportunities abroad.
7. You want a copy of the Radio Times. They don't have one at the local shops, but sometimes the bookstall at the station has a lot of copies.
Now think of some things you may or might do in the next few weeks.
C. Look at these ideas:
Tom and Stella WANT TO get married. I'D RATHER find a place of our own.
WANT TO and I'D RATHER are often used in the same conversation like this:
Peter: I want to see the film at the Odeon.
Mary: Do you? I'd rather see the one at the Plaza.
Now use the ideas below to make similar conversations:
1. watch television/listen to the radio
2. go by air/go by ship
3. have a cup of tea/ ... coffee
4. talk about the exam/ ... our holiday
5. get a job in London/ ... Paris
6. go to the football/ ... horseracing
7. see The Beast with Two Heads/ ... Terrors of the Night
8. go to the seaside/ ... go into the country
Can you think of any more conversations like this?
D. Look at this conversation:
— I don't really want to go out.
— Oh, would you rather stay at home?
Use the notes below to make similar conversations:
1. play tennis/go to the cinema
2. go to the theatre/watch television
3. play cards/listen to some records
4. watch television/listen to the radio
5. go to the cinema/stay at home
6. watch this programme/see the film on the other channel
7. meet David and his girlfriend/go for a walk
8. do any more work now/go for a drive