We’re going to look at a very common verb that is often confusing for students to use in a sentence. We’ll look at some examples to learn how to use it and we’ll also see how not to use it. The verb in today’s lesson is SUGGEST and how we use it when we want to SUGGEST an action.

The reason why it causes problems is because it has a specific verb pattern. So when we use SUGGEST, we say: I SUGGEST THAT… followed by the rest of the phrase. Here are some examples:

I SUGGEST THAT you practise your English. I SUGGEST THAT you do your homework on time. I SUGGEST THAT you study harder. I SUGGEST THAT you listen to English every day. After SUGGEST use THAT followed by the rest of the sentence.

It’s also quite common to drop or leave out THAT if we’re speaking quickly or informally. So you can say: I SUGGEST you study harder. I SUGGEST you study harder.

However, we don’t say: I SUGGEST YOU to study harder. Don’t use the full infinitive here. “I SUGGEST THAT you study harder” or “I SUGGEST you study harder. You could also say: I SUGGEST STUDYING harder, so SUGGEST plus a gerund. That’s possible. So, “I SUGGEST THAT you study harder”, “I SUGGEST you study harder” or “I SUGGEST STUDYING harder”.

Here’s a different verb you could use. Instead of SUGGEST, you could use RECOMMEND. “I RECOMMEND THAT you study harder” or “I RECOMMEND you study harder” or “I RECOMMEND STUDYING harder”. But remember, don’t say: I RECOMMEND you to study harder.

OK, I SUGGEST THAT you go to ANGLOPOD.COM and try the quiz. Also, I RECOMMEND WRITING your own example sentences in the comments. Good luck and see you in the next class!