English Grammar: How to Use the Verb “Suggest”
A lot of English learners struggle with the verb suggest because suggest is an unusual English verb. It is not used in a sentence the same way that other verbs are.
Suggest means mention or recommend something to think about, or something someone should do. You suggest a thought or an idea.
1. “I suggest that you call him.”
suggest that someone do something
This is the most difficult use of suggest for English learners to understand, so take some time to read this part of the lesson carefully.
You want to tell someone your opinion. You want to tell them to do something.
Don’t use me, us, you, etc. as indirect object pronouns after suggest. Use a that-clause after suggest.
What is a that-clause?
A clause is any part of a sentence that has a subject and a verb. A sentence is one or more clauses joined together. A that-clause is a clause that starts with the conjunction that. A conjunction joins two clauses or sentences together into one longer sentence.
Start your sentence with this specific structure:
I suggest that…
The next part of the sentence needs a subject and a verb, because it’s a clause.
I suggest that someone do something
“Someone” is the subject of the clause. The subject is followed by the verb phrase “do something.”
REMEMBER: Don’t use an infinitive after suggest. Don’t say “I suggest to do something.”
Example sentences
I suggest that you memorize sentences instead of grammar rules!
Emily suggests that we go out for dinner after the movie.
My mom suggested that I get a summer job.
Her brother suggests that she study harder so she can get into a good university.
Hmmmmm. Let’s look at that last sentence. Do you notice something strange about the verb?
Her brother suggests that she study harder so she can get into a good university.
Shouldn’t it be “she studies“?
No. This is what makes the English verb suggest different from other verbs.
Remember, in this structure, I suggest is followed by a that-clause. A clause contains a subject and a verb.
The verb in the that-clause is the subjunctive form.
Don’t let the word subjunctive scare you! This is a very rare verb form, and it is rarely used in English today.
Learn more: Advanced English grammar: The subjunctive mood
In the subjunctive form, the verb doesn’t change. Don’t add -s or change the verb after the subjects he, she, or it. The verb says in the base form of the verb. The base form, or the bare infinitive, is the simplest form of a verb. It’s the way that you find a verb in the dictionary.
Her brother suggests that she study harder.
NOT:Her brother suggests that she studies harder.
NOTE: You cannot use another verb tense in the that-clause. You cannot use the simple past. You must use the subjunctive form.
Also, in American English it is not common to use should in the that-clause. It is more common in British English.
More example sentences
She suggests that he go to France instead of Italy this summer.
I suggested that she be Queen Elsa from Frozen for Halloween!
I suggested that he ask someone else for help.
Tip: You don’t need to include that in the sentence. It is still a that-clause even if you don’t say or write that in this sentence structure
I suggest you memorize sentences instead of grammar rules!
Emily suggests we go out for dinner after the movie.
My mom suggested I get a summer job.
Her brother suggests she study harder so she can get into a good university.
I suggest you go to the doctor!
She suggests he go to France instead of Italy this summer.
He suggested I ask someone else for help.
Tip: Make the that-clause negative by adding not in front of the verb.
The teacher suggests we not waste time playing video games after school.
Learn more: The subjunctive mood + more verbs used in the subjunctive form
REMEMBER: You suggest that someone do something.
2. “He suggested going for a walk together.”
suggest doing something
suggest + gerund
I suggest memorizing sentences instead of grammar rules!
Don’t use an infinitive after suggest! If you use a verb after suggest, use a gerund!
What is a gerund? A gerund is a noun that is formed by adding -ing to a verb.
Example sentences
Her brother suggests studying harder so she can get into a good university.
My doctor suggests eating less and exercising more.
Her family suggested waiting a few years before she gets married.
I suggest not waiting so long to go to the doctor.
The meaning of this sentence is the same as suggest that someone do something.
3. Suggest an idea for a grammar lesson!
suggest something
suggest + noun
Can you suggest a good hotel in Paris?
I can suggest some interesting apps.
I really love this app and will suggest it to everyone.
No politician has suggested a way to improve the economy.
He suggested several different things to do after dinner.
Hi Melanie! that’s what i’m talking about! We have to study natural english. As I told you on facebook, i’m really appreciating the site! Thanks.
HI,
it’s a lovely website Melanie! i really amazed to see it. there’s so much i want to say but words aren’t enough to describe what’s on my head. Good job!
thanks for the lesson You are a great english teacher.
Pilar (Spain)
Hi Melanie,
We are a class of San Sebastian, Basque Country (Spain).
Your explanations were really useful. Some of us had the same mistake using suggest.
Best regards,
Unai
Dear Melanie,
Thanks for your website and your help.
My name is Zoltán from Hungary who used to live in Canada for one year.
I would like to say thank you for you and the Canadians for the English language that I can use in my life every day.
The fact is that my English has to be improved and I am looking for the possibilities to learn more and more.
Your website helps me to understand the roles easier.
I will use your website in the future because it is very efficient to use.
Thanks,
Zoltán
This is the best English grammer explanation ever! I was always confused on how to use this word” suggest” , like – what to follow this word, infinitive or pronoun. I know now how to use it once for all. Great thanks to you – the greatest English teacher Melanie.
Hello, Melanie! Thanks for your explanation, it really helps me a lot! I feel lucky to find your website and it is one of the happiest things today! Thank you again!
Great job Miss Melanie! You helped me so much! Your blog is so useful! Real treasure!
Regards from Greece!
Thank you so much for your post. There isn’t any information in dictionaries noticing the base form of verbs after ‘suggest that …’. Many of us thought the verb has to be put in suitable tenses as usual, just like this ‘I suggest he goes …’
I want to thank you for your excelent blog and explanation about the “suggest”. I will no longer have problem with this tricky word.
Best wishes,
Pedro.
great help to avoid confusion ,thanks a lot
excellent post.
Thank you so much. Finally some one explain it clearly
Thanks for the useful article!
Hi Melanie,
just to say that you are doing a great job. This “lesson” was very helpful and your way of teaching is clear and easy to understand. Or, in other words, it`s effective.
Thanks
Hi, Melanie!
What you’re doing here on this site is worth taking time and trouble! Thank you a lot for such awesome explanations!
Thanks a lot Melanie , it is very useful
Thank you Melanie it is very interesting subjet. I will keep in mind this new lesson.
Have a happy day
Luciana
Thank you Melanie! 🙂
hello melanie! thanks alot for your lessons.it seems to me that you are not only good at pronunciation but also grammar .thanks for your explanation how to use suggest in details situation.
Melanie,
I’ve never seen such a clear explanation like this, congratulations. Your way to explain grammar rules is absolutely fantastic,God bless you. Thanx a lot. Kisses.
Thank you very much; it is quite useful for spanish native speakers.
All of your explanations are great! Go on like that!
Hi, Melanie,
That is a super great explanation. Thanks!
what about the tag question ?
should i say
I suggest you go for a walk, don`t you?
or what?
You don’t need to use question tags with “suggest.” Your sentence is not correct. It doesn’t make sense.
Hi Melanie,
Really useful guidelines above. But I have a doubt..
What would you be the correct sentence for
“I suggest you to work hard to succeed. “
Hi, Harshit!
Here are some better sentences:
“I suggest you work hard if you want to succeed.”
“You need to work hard to succeed.”
“
I suggest you to work hard to succeed.” is not a correct or natural English sentence.Hi Melanie, great job! Your piece of work is worth reading. You really help me pass new knowledge and skills to my pupils. Teacher of English from Kenya.
I suggest my many friends that if you lern english perfectly than you must join melanis website
Thanks very helpful for all learners
No politician has suggested a way to improve the economy.
He suggested several different things to do after dinner.
I think, according to your lesson of “Don’t use an infinitive after suggest. Don’t say “I suggest to do something.”, infinitive “to” should be deleted from “to improve” and “to do”
Hi, Benedict!
It is fine to use an infinitive in these sentences because it is part of the noun phrase after the verb suggest.
The sentence structure is “suggest something.” In the two example sentences, “something” is a noun phrase:
“a way to improve the economy”
“several different things to do after dinner.”
You cannot use an infinitive directly after suggest. You cannot say “
I suggest to memorize sentences” or “I suggest to improve the economy.”I hope that is clearer now!
It is crystal clear now.
Thank you very much, Melanie!
Thank you, Melanie, It was a versatile explanation.
Here’s another example of subjunctive use in a that clause whose preceding main verb is ‘ask,’ as opposed to ‘suggest’: “Once prosecutors determined that Greene’s cooperation with them had finished they asked that the judge unseal some of the documents.” I’ve seen other such examples of the subjunctive’s being used following an independent clause whose main verb was other than ‘that.’
Yes, you are correct! I have updated the section on the subjunctive and I have also written a new lesson on the subjunctive that includes a list of verbs of advice & suggestion that are used with the subjunctive:
/advanced-english-grammar-the-subjunctive-mood/
Hello Melanie,
Thank you very much.
I want to ask you, please.
Is there any verb like ” suggest ” I mean has the same rule?
Kind regards,
Awatef
Hello Awatef!
First, I want to be clear that we are not talking about “rules”! I don’t like talking about “rules” because people don’t become fluent in a language by learning “rules.”
Here, this lesson explains the different ways to use the verb suggest in a sentence. These are sentence structures.
I don’t know all the verbs that follow these structures, but I will do some research and report back to you in one week!
EDIT: You can read more about the subjunctive mood & learn other verbs that follow the same sentence structure here:
/advanced-english-grammar-the-subjunctive-mood/
Thank you,Melanie!
For: answering me and sending me the book.
Regards
I agree with the above people that your tips and examples of the use of the verb suggest are very useful and iI do thank you but i feel that there are some more uses of this verb that you haven’t included as for example the use of the simple present or the simple past instead of the subjunctive which makes the verb suggest less formal .
I think that you’re thinking of a different definition of suggest.
When you use suggest to mean give someone a suggestion, or say that you think someone should do something, or that you recommend someone or something, you cannot use the present simple or the past simple instead of the subjunctive. You can only use the subjunctive in the that-clause.
That is the most common definition of suggest.
However, less common is using suggest as a synonym of the verb imply, which means to say something in an indirect way. When you use suggest this way, you can use the past & present simple in the that-clause. I have left out this definition as it would make the lesson more confusing!
“What are you suggesting? Are you suggesting that she slept in yesterday?”
= What are you saying? What are you implying?
Dear Melanie,
Thanks for the explanations. They are simple and very useful.
But I learned that we could use the past simple in the that-clause according to Raymond Murphy. He gives the following example: “Jim suggested that I bought a car”. Could you comment on it?
Hi, Svetlana!
This is a great question! Are you talking about the Raymond Murphy Grammar in Use textbooks?
There are two versions of the textbooks: an American version and a British version. If you are using the American version, it will say on the cover “… for students of North American English,” or you can check the preposition section. If it says “at the weekend,” it’s a British book. If it says “on the weekend,” it’s an American book.
Raymond Murphy is British. I’m Canadian, and in Canada we follow American grammar structures, so I teach American grammar. I don’t know enough about British grammar to comment on it. In American English, “Jim suggested that I bought a car” is not a correct sentence. In American English, we don’t use the past tense in the that-clause. The correct sentence in American English is “Jim suggested that I buy a car.”
I hope that helps!
: )
Thank you very much Melanie. It really helped me.
My gosh. I found this very helpful! I am glad I just signed for this website. Look forward to more informative articles.
This is really interesting. Which other verbs or structures use subjunctive? Thank you!
Hi, Dan!
There’s a complete list of verbs & structures that use the subjunctive in this lesson:
/advanced-english-grammar-the-subjunctive-mood/
🙂
thanks alot
Excellent explanation
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It’s really useful. I’d been struggling with this topic for a while and this explanation is clear and simple, even refreshing! Made me feel I understood right away. Thank you