This lesson focuses on the language functions used when making travel arrangements and suggestions, essential skills for planning a holiday and helping others decide where and how to travel.
Making Arrangements and Suggestions
When we plan a trip with someone, we use specific expressions to suggest ideas, propose plans, and confirm arrangements. Here are common expressions used for this function.
- Why don’t we book the flights this week? — used to suggest an action.
- How about visiting Chefchaouen for the weekend? — used to propose an idea, followed by a verb + -ing.
- Shall we stay in a hotel or a guesthouse? — used to offer a choice or suggestion politely.
- Let’s check the train times before we decide. — used to suggest a joint action.
- I suggest (that) we leave early to avoid the traffic. — a more formal way to suggest something.
- What if we travelled by bus instead of by car? — used to suggest an alternative, often with a past tense form.
- It might be a good idea to pack some warm clothes for the mountains. — a polite way to recommend something.
Confirming and Responding to Suggestions
Once a suggestion is made, we need language to accept, reject, or respond to it politely.
- That sounds great! Let’s do that. — accepting enthusiastically.
- Good idea, but could we also visit the old town? — accepting with an added suggestion.
- I’m not sure that’s a good idea because the trains might be full. — politely disagreeing and giving a reason.
- I’d rather we booked accommodation in advance. — expressing a preference.
- Yes, that works for me. — simple confirmation.
- Actually, I was thinking of a different destination. — offering an alternative politely.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Complete the dialogue with a suitable suggestion expression: A: We need to plan our trip to Fez. ______ we take the early train on Saturday? B: That sounds great!
Exercise 2 — Rewrite this sentence using ‘How about’: ‘I suggest that we visit the beach this weekend.’
Exercise 3 — Match the suggestion to the correct response: (1) Shall we book a guesthouse instead of a hotel? (2) What if we travelled by bus? (a) Good idea, but buses can be slow. (b) Yes, that works for me, it will be cheaper.
Exercise 4 — Write a short suggestion using ‘Let’s’ about choosing a holiday destination in Morocco.
Exercise 5 — Choose the correct option to politely disagree: A: Shall we leave for the airport at 5 a.m.? B: (I’m not sure that’s a good idea because / That sounds great) the airport is only twenty minutes away.
Exercise 6 — Write a mini dialogue (4 lines) between two friends making arrangements for a weekend trip, using at least two expressions from this lesson.
Answer Key
Answer 1 — Why don’t we (or: Shall we)
Answer 2 — How about visiting the beach this weekend?
Answer 3 — 1-b, 2-a
Answer 4 — Answers will vary. Example: Let’s go to Chefchaouen for our next holiday.
Answer 5 — I’m not sure that’s a good idea because
Answer 6 — Answers will vary. Example: A: Why don’t we go to Essaouira this weekend? B: That sounds great! How about staying in a guesthouse near the port? A: Good idea, but let’s check the prices first. B: Yes, that works for me.
