Making Suggestions

So far in our dialogue about Luke picking up Mr. and Mrs. Vincent at the airport we’ve made the basic introductions and gone through the we can say the basics asking how the flight was.

Now we need to actually recommend or suggest what to do next.

Luke needs to say what the choices are.

Now I want to mention one point about American culture in particular.

It’s usually a good idea to offer options or ask whether what you’re suggesting is okay if you say we’re going to do this and then we’re going to do this and then we’re going to do this and then we’re going to do this.

Generally speaking Americans will feel like they’re trapped and they don’t have a choice.

And that could be an uncomfortable feeling.

No it’s not true in every culture certainly.

But that’s generally the idea in America.

So I would recommend if you find yourself in a situation like this with Americans offer some options give a few choices or make one recommendation and then at the end just ask if that’s OK.

Which is pretty easy to do.

Let’s look at how we can do that.

OK so how about we go to your hotel first.

This is Luke speaking.

This is Luke speaking.

How about we go to your hotel first so that you can unpack OK unpack means take your stuff out of your bag maybe put your your coat on the hanger and maybe take your shoes out of your bag whatever you need to do.

Unpack your bags and relax for a while.

OK that’s a recommendation.

Then we can meet the others and have dinner maybe around 8:00.

So we do have a question there at the end maybe around 8:00.

Now if they wanted to they could say well we’re really not feeling up to or in the mood for going out and having a dinner tonight.

So maybe we can just relax at the hotel.

All right.

That’s fine.

That’s fine.

OK.

Or sorry to hear about the flight.

Maybe they said it’s a terrible was a terrible flight we had turbulence the whole time.

Well sorry to hear about the flight.

Now we need to change the topic anyway very good way to do that.

Anyway I hope you enjoy your stay in New York.

So I’m trying to shift the discussion shift the conversation to a more optimistic or positive light.

OK.

Trying to push it into more optimistic territory an optimistic space.

I hope you enjoy your stay in New York.

I think we can go to the hotel first so that you can unpack your bags and rest for a bit.

Does that sound good.

So this is a straight recommendation.

This is what I’m saying we should do.

Then I want to confirm it.

So you want to avoid saying we will go to your hotel so that you can rest for a bit.

How about makes it sound softer and then does that sound good.

Allows them to confirm that that’s OK and if it’s not then they can say so now.

Sometimes we want to give several choices maybe maybe they want to go to the hotel maybe they want to eat right away then I can ask Would you rather this is a great way to offer options.

Would you rather go out and have lunch and then go to the hotel or go directly to the hotel so that you can rest then they can say what they want to do.

OK.

Now generally in this situation if I say What do you want to do next.

It’s a little weird because while we’re at the airport so we’re not going to just stay here.

I guess you could say something like Well where would you like to go.

But in this situation it’s better to offer choices.

Would you rather go to the hotel now or have lunch first.

OK give some options.

All right.

This is how we do that.

Finally Lydia or David says yep sounds perfect.

What sounds perfect.

This plan this thing I’m suggesting sounds perfect.

I like the plan.

Anytime you like a plan you can say sounds perfect.

We learned that with the with the lesson about inviting friends.

We want to change and take a shower as well.

OK as well change means to change your clothes.

Then dinner sounds great.

Dinner sounds great.

When you make dinner sounds great.

Well what it really means is going to dinner sounds great.

Want to grab a coffee.

Coffee sounds great.

Coffee sounds great.

Well again yes it is a noun but what you’re really saying is it sounds great to me.

The idea of going to get a cup of coffee but it’s just a simple way to say that.