23. Work with your partner. Read the following dialogues paying special attention to the ways of making suggestions and refusing them. Learn the dialogues by heart and act them out.
Making plans
A.
| Tom:
| It’s almost Christmas. What are you doing this weekend?
|
| Sara:
| Nothing special, just working. Why do you ask?
|
| Tom:
| Well, I still haven’t finished my Christmas shopping. Do you want to go shopping with me this weekend?
|
| Sara:
| I’d like to, but I’m not sure if I can. Work has been really busy lately. Why don’t we go on Friday instead?
|
| Tom:
| Friday’s not good. I think the stores will be very crowded and I have to work.
|
| Sara:
| OK, then let’s try to go this weekend. I should know if I can go by Friday. Is it OK if I call you then?
|
| Tom:
| Yeah, that’s fine.
|
| Sara:
| What’s your number?
|
| Tom:
| 233-331-8828. Let me give you my email address too. It’s [email protected]
|
| Sara:
| OK, I’ll talk to you soon.
|
| Tom:
| OK.
|
B.
| Ann:
| D’you fancy going shopping on Saturday?
|
| Ben:
| O.K. I’ll meet you outside Harrods at 1.00.
|
| Ann:
| Can you make it earlier?
|
| Ben:
| Oh, no, it’s out of the question. I always like lying in on Saturdays.
|
| Ann:
| You could always have a lie-in on Sunday, couldn’t you?
|
| Ben:
| It’s all very well to say, but Saturday morning is the only time during the week I really relax.
|
Here are other ways of making suggestions (informal):
What about... (doing smth)
Why don’t we... (do smth)
We could always...
I’ve got a great/marvellous idea; we could...
Listen, let’s...
