Everyday English · CEFR A2 · Everyday
How about…? Why don't we…? — Everyday english
Three frames with three different demands: how about takes -ing, why don't we takes a plain verb, shall we takes a plain verb.
The shape
How / What about + -ing · Why don't we + verb · Shall we + verb
Suggest something to a group without deciding for them.
In Hindi
तीन ढाँचे, तीन अलग माँगें — how about के बाद -ing, बाक़ी दोनों के बाद सादी क्रिया।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The mistake to fix first
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
How about we to meet on Friday? | How about meeting on Friday? After "how about" the verb takes -ing and no subject is needed. |
How about…? Why don't we…? examples
Easiest first. Every sentence is authored, with the Hindi it comes from.
Where shall we meet?
हम कहाँ मिलें?
What time shall we meet?
हम कितने बजे मिलें?
Shall we go now?
क्या हम अभी जा सकते हैं?
Shall we meet tomorrow?
क्या हम कल मिल सकते हैं?
Shall we meet at six?
क्या हम छह बजे मिल सकते हैं?
also correct: Can we meet at six?
Shall we eat at home or out?
हम घर पर खाएँ या बाहर?
Shall we go by bus or walk?
हम बस से जाएँ या पैदल?
Easy to confuse with
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
Questions people ask
- What is the how about…? why don't we…? used for?
- Three frames with three different demands: how about takes -ing, why don't we takes a plain verb, shall we takes a plain verb. In practice: suggest something to a group without deciding for them.
- How do you form the how about…? why don't we…??
- How / What about + -ing · Why don't we + verb · Shall we + verb.
- What is the most common mistake with the how about…? why don't we…??
- Saying “How about we to meet on Friday?” instead of “How about meeting on Friday?”. After "how about" the verb takes -ing and no subject is needed.
Where how about…? why don't we…? fits
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
How about…? Why don't we…? is a CEFR A2 structure — the everyday band — and it belongs to everyday english. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
CoCap turns this page into practice: Hindi sentence in, English sentence out, corrected one thing at a time. Free, no card.
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