“提建议”,有比较正式的说法,有比较日常口语的说法,本文着重介绍一下口语说法。
1. What
about.../ How about...? (去……怎么样?)
例:
How about playing basketball? (去打篮球怎么样?)
2. What do you
say... (……如何/怎么样?)
例:
(1)How about going to Europe this summer? What do you say?
(今年夏天去欧洲,你看怎么样?)
(2)What do you say we split the two
sandwiches?(这两个三明治我们一人吃一个怎么样?)
(3)美剧《老友记》S02E02:
情境:Joey想约一个MM喝咖啡。
Joey: Listen, uh, what do you say I buy you that cup of
coffee now? (我现在去给你买那杯咖啡怎么样?
3. If I were
you, I would...: used when giving advice and telling someone what
you think they should do (如果我是你,我会……)
注意:这里要用虚拟语气。
例:
If I were you, I'd sell the car.(如果我是你,我就卖了那辆车。)
补充:跟这个句子很像的,还有一句“If it were me, I'd...”( 如果换作是我,我会……)
例:《老友记》S02E07:
情境:Monica督促Chandler减肥,太严苛了,Chandler最后烦死,不干了!他想了个办法刺激Monica,她彼时正遭受失业、失恋的双重打击。Chandler说:这要发生在我身上,我每天就只想睡觉了。最后Monica真被他哄得小睡了一会,不再逼他减肥了。从这个意义上说,这句也是表示建议的,“你何不像我一样,睡一会?”
Chandler: I mean, if it were me, I think I'd have difficulty just getting out of bed
at all.
4. I was wondering if/whether...:
used to ask someone if they would like to do something表示“邀约”
例:
(1)We were wondering if you'd like to
come with us.(你们想跟我们一起去吗?)
(2)I was wondering if you'd like to
come to dinner.(你们来我家吃饭,好吗?)
(3)《老友记》S02E02:
情境:Joey第一次约那个MM下班后喝咖啡。
Joey:I was wondering if maybe after work you and I could go out grab a cup of coffee.(grab:表示“快快地吃、喝,不占用多少时间的”。)
备注:''I was
wondering if...''除了表示“邀约”,还可以表示''politely
ask sb to help you''(礼貌性地请求帮助)
例:
(1)I was wondering if you could
babysit tomorrow night.(不知你明天晚上能帮忙带孩子吗?)
(2)《老友记》S02E02:
情境:Rachel在咖啡店做侍应,感恩节到了,她想向老板预支$100工资,好跟家人一起去度假。看看她怎么说。
Rachel: I know that I haven't worked here
very long, but I was wondering, do you think it would be possible if I got a
$100 advance on my salary?
5. What if: 怎么样
例:
What if we move(d) the sofa over here?
Would that look better? (我们把沙发移到这儿怎么样?比刚才好点吗?)
备注:what if除了表示建议外,还可以用来询问“怎么办”:
What if the plan of yours fails, what then?
(你计划失败的话要怎么办?)
6. 讨论约定的时间、地点或东西的数量等等,口语中可以用一个简单的say:
例:
Can you come to dinner? Say, 7:00? (你能来吃饭吗?7:00怎么样?)
If we put out, say, twenty chairs, would
that be enough? (搬……20张椅子出来,够吗?)