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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > how about + sentence?
how about + sentence?
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ironik
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how about + sentence?
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Hello everyone, hope you �re having a great day. My question is this: Can we use a sentence after how about?
Instead of How about going to the library, Is it possible to say How about we go to the library?
I taught the topic as after How about, we put Ving but one of the students put a sentence. It didn �t sound wrong but I couldn �t find anything on the net. What do you think? |
4 May 2012
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elif hoca
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"how about" This is used to make a suggestion. It is nearly similar to What about question. I know that after prepositions such as in,on,against,about etc we always add -ing to verb to make the verb noun phrase so using subject(doer) in how about questions is not necessary because its daily speech usage you dont need to add we or any subjects I hope it helps |
4 May 2012
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dafodil
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How about we go to the library, in my opinion, is not correct but you can replace this expression by Shall we go to the library? How about + noun or (ing) form. For example, How about going to the library?, as you �ve just said, or How about us going to the library? (us going functions as if it were a noun) How about a drink? |
4 May 2012
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foose1
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We say, "how about the library" in the United States often. We call it brain storming. Where do you want to go. How about shopping. It doesn �t mean that it is correct but it is something we do often. Especially in meetings when we are brainstorming. John |
4 May 2012
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Tere-arg
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How about + gerund or noun as elif has said
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4 May 2012
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ueslteacher
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Your student �s sentence is perfectly acceptible in American English. Check yourself (scroll down to idioms)
Sophia |
4 May 2012
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ironik
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If it �s acceptable in AmE, we have to accept it I guess, even if it �s not very common. Thank you guys.  |
4 May 2012
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Tere-arg
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Well, I guess it all depends on which English you are teaching (Am or Br).
Anyway, even teaching Am E, I would state it is considered an idiom in some parts of the USA...or that is what I understand from this:
"(especially North American English) How about we go for a walk?"
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4 May 2012
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ueslteacher
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I beg to differ, Maria-Teresa. North American does not mean parts of the USA. It means American + Canadian English, i.e 2 countries which are located on the North American continent. The word "especially" means you can hear this variant anywhere in the English-speaking world but it�s more common in the the US and Canada. So, I would tell my student that the variant he mentioned is perfectly acceptable but more common in American English. Sophia
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4 May 2012
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foose1
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It is perfectly acceptable. Otherwise, I and others would have never said it in front of Vice Presidents, Electrical Engineers and or PHD and Doctorate holders who were looking for ideas (brain storm in the Aerospace Industry). John Foose |
4 May 2012
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Tere-arg
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uslteacher:
Sorry. You are absolutely right. I was not paying enough attention when I read "North American".
But I do not agree on the use of the language. I think we should teach
what�s correct and tell them what people use in the street, too (which,
most of the time, is not the correct language).
ANYWAY, you can teach what you want, of course! 
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5 May 2012
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