Giving advice in English : complete course

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Giving advice in English [A2] — VocaVerb

What Does It Mean to Give Advice in English?

When you give advice in English, you suggest something useful to help another person. It is a very common part of everyday conversation. Knowing how to do this correctly will help you communicate more naturally and confidently.

For example, if your friend has a cold, you might say: ‘You should rest at home today.’ This is giving advice!

Simple Examples to Get Started

  • ‘You should drink more water.’
  • ‘You shouldn’t eat so much sugar.’
  • ‘Why don’t you try a different route?’
  • ‘I think you should talk to your teacher.’
  • ‘Maybe you could call him later.’

As you can see, giving advice in English does not have to be complicated. There are several simple structures you can use.

The Key Elements of Giving Advice in English

There are different ways to give advice in English. Each one has a slightly different meaning or level of strength. Let us look at the most important ones.

Using ‘Should’ and ‘Shouldn’t’

‘Should’ is the most common way to give advice. It is neutral and friendly. ‘Shouldn’t’ is the negative form, used to advise against something.

Structure Example
You should + verb ‘You should sleep early.’
You shouldn’t + verb ‘You shouldn’t work so late.’
  • ‘You should study a little every day.’
  • ‘You shouldn’t skip breakfast.’
  • ‘She should see a doctor.’

Using ‘Why Don’t You’ and ‘Maybe You Could’

These expressions are softer and more polite. They are great when you want to make a suggestion without being too direct.

Structure Example
Why don’t you + verb ‘Why don’t you take a break?’
Maybe you could + verb ‘Maybe you could ask for help.’
  • ‘Why don’t you join an English club?’
  • ‘Maybe you could write it down to remember.’
  • ‘Why don’t you watch English films?’

Using ‘If I Were You’

This expression is very natural in spoken English. It shows empathy and puts you in the other person’s situation. It is a little more advanced but very useful.

  • ‘If I were you, I would apologise.’
  • ‘If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about it.’
  • ‘If I were you, I would leave early.’

Why Knowing How to Give Advice in English Matters

Giving advice is something we do every single day. At work, at school, with friends or family, we often want to help others or share our opinion. If you can give advice well in English, you will sound more natural and fluent.

It also helps you in professional situations. Imagine you work in an international company. A colleague asks: ‘What should I do to improve my presentation?’ Knowing the right expressions lets you answer clearly and confidently.

Finally, giving advice politely is a social skill. Using the right words shows respect and care for the other person.

Comparison with Other Languages

It is helpful to compare English with other languages you may know. This can make the structure easier to understand.

Language Expression English Equivalent
French ‘Tu devrais te reposer.’ ‘You should rest.’
Spanish ‘Deberías hablar con él.’ ‘You should talk to him.’
English ‘You should talk to him.’ –

In French and Spanish, the verb changes its ending to express advice (conditional form). In English, you simply use the modal verb ‘should’ before the base form of the verb. This makes English advice structures easier and more regular.

  • French: ‘Tu pourrais essayer.’ → English: ‘You could try.’
  • Spanish: ‘¿Por qué no intentas?’ → English: ‘Why don’t you try?’

A Complete Example

Here is a short conversation that shows how to give advice naturally in English:

Anna: ‘I feel very tired all the time. I don’t know what to do.’

Ben: ‘You should go to bed earlier. Maybe you could also reduce your coffee. If I were you, I would also try some light exercise. Why don’t you go for a short walk every morning?’

Anna: ‘That’s a good idea. Thank you!’

Notice how Ben uses different structures: ‘should’, ‘maybe you could’, ‘if I were you’, and ‘why don’t you’. This makes the advice sound natural and varied.

Key Points to Remember

  • ‘Should’ is the most common and neutral way to give advice.
  • ‘Shouldn’t’ is used to advise against something.
  • ‘Why don’t you’ and ‘maybe you could’ are softer and more polite.
  • ‘If I were you’ shows empathy and is very natural in conversation.
  • In English, always use the base form of the verb after these expressions.
  • Mixing different expressions makes your English sound more fluent and natural.

Start practising today! Try to give advice to a friend in English, even in a simple situation. The more you use these expressions, the more confident you will become.

Sources

  • Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.
  • Murphy, R. (2019). English Grammar in Use (5th edition). Cambridge University Press.
  • Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Cambridge University Press.

To practise what you learned in this lesson:

Practice exercises · Crossword puzzle

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