The mice are holding a meeting. They have a problem: a cat.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 3 · Making suggestions
The Mice in Council
Why don’t we…? How about + -ing? Let’s…, shall we? I suggest + -ing, We could…: the grammar of suggestions, at a meeting full of very good ideas and very few volunteers.
🐁 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are a young Mouse.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
MARCOS
Why don’t they just get a dog?
The fable
After Aesop
The mice in a big house were in danger. Every night a Cat crept into the kitchen so quietly that nobody heard her until it was too late. So they held a council in the cellar.
“What shall we do?” asked the oldest mouse. “We could stay in the walls,” said one. “Why don’t we move?” said another. Then a young mouse stood up: “How about putting a bell round the Cat’s neck? Then we’ll always hear her coming!”
Everybody cheered. Then the oldest mouse spoke: “A very good idea. Just one question: who is going to put the bell on the Cat?” Nobody said a word.
It is easy to suggest impossible things.
Suggestions with questions
MARCOS
Why don’t we move? How about putting a bell on her?
SOPHIA
Why don’t we / you + base verb? Why not + base verb? How about / What about + -ing? All are friendly suggestions.
Let’s, shall we, could
PHILO
Let’s vote, shall we? We could make a hole in the wall.
SOPHIA
Let’s + base verb, with the tag shall we? We could + verb is a gentle suggestion. To ask for suggestions: What shall we do?
Suggest
DEMETRIA
The old mouse suggested that we try another plan. I suggest asking her.
SOPHIA
Suggest + -ing or suggest (that) + subject + base verb (or should + verb). Never suggest to do or suggest you to do. And for advice: If I were you, I would…
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| Why don’t we…? / Why not…? | friendly suggestion | Why don’t we move? |
| How about / What about + -ing? | suggestion | How about putting a bell on her? |
| Let’s…, shall we? | suggestion including yourself | Let’s vote, shall we? |
| suggest + -ing / suggest that + base verb | reporting or making suggestions | She suggested that we try another plan. |
| We could…; If I were you, I’d… | gentle suggestions; advice | We could hang the bell on the door. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best answer
Choose the right word.
1. ___ go to the beach?
2. How about ___ a film?
3. Let’s go, ___?
4. I suggest ___ the bus.
5. She suggested that he ___ a doctor.
6. If I were you, I ___ apologise.
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing word or words.
7. What we do now?
8. Why ask the teacher?
9. We try again tomorrow.
10. What about a break? (have)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “I suggest you to rest.”
12. “How about going for a walk?”
13. “Why we don’t ask her?”
Now go to the council yourself. Who will bell the Cat?Play the gamebook →