Giving Advice

Giving Advice

Definition

Giving Advice is any kind of suggestion regarding a possible course of action for another person. 

There are lots of different ways to give advice in English.

We are going to look at three:

1. Imperatives

An imperative is a command or an order. To form an imperative, you use the bare infinitive form of the verb without a subject – it should be clear to the person you are speaking to that the imperative is about them.

For example:

- Wear warm clothes when you visit the UK.

- Don’t be afraid to talk to people.

2. Using modal verbs

There are three useful words/phrases we use to give advice. These are called modals.

If you think something is a good idea, you can use the word: should

If you think something is a bad idea, you can use the word: shouldn’t 

For example:

- You should eat fruit and vegetables every day to stay healthy.

- You shouldn’t eat too much spicy food.

3. Why don’t you. .

Another way to give advice is to use the question form ‘why don’t you…?’ This is a nice way of making a suggestion – if you are not sure about the advice, you can use this form. 

For example:

- Why don’t you take an English course before you go to the UK?

- Why don’t you give her a chocholate?

There are several different structures that you can use when giving advice

Should

                        This is probably the most common of the structures for giving advice. After should, and its negative - shouldn't - we use the base form of the infinitive of the verb:

You should wise up
We shouldn’t cheat
It is common to use 'I think' and 'I don’t think' with should:
I think you should put the answers back
She doesn't think they should use them

Had better

This structure is common in spoken English and it is usually used in the contracted form. After had better, and its negative - had better not, we use the base form of  the infinitive of the verb

-You'd better return the answers to the lecturer
-You'd better not tell anyone that you found them

Ought

This is the most formal of the structures used for giving advice, and so it isn't so common.
After ought, and its negative - ought not (oughtn't), we use the full infinitive of the verb:

You ought to contact the police
You ought not to cheat in exams

If I were you

This version of the second conditional is often used when giving advice, especially in spoken English. Note the use of were with I in the first clause.
In the second clause, we use would - contracted to d - and wouldn’t.

After would and wouldn’t, we use the base form of the infinitive of the verb:

If I were you, I’d give them back to the lecturer
If I were you, I wouldn’t use the answers

Example dialogue :

Mariona: Hi Clàudia, You look worried. What's the matter?
Clàudia: Er.. it's nothing.
Mariona: Is it the exam tomorrow? You shouldn't worry. You'll pass easily.
Clàudia: I know.
Mariona: Come on, tell me. What are you worried about?
Clàudia: OK... it's Mark. I think he has started smoking. I was talking to him   yesterday about this topic and he says me that isn't smoking.
Mariona: That's serious. What are you going to do?
Clàudia: I'm not sure. I should tell someone. What do you think I should do?
Mariona: If I were you, I'd speak to his older sister. She's really friendly.
Clàudia: I've never met her. Can you com with me?
Mariona: Yes, of course. Let's go and find her.