Suggest is a verb, that is a word that denotes an action: it explains what the subject of the sentence does. In this case, the verb suggest means to give an idea or convey a thought for consideration. The word derives from the Latin suggestĕre, which literally means “to bring under”. Read on to find out how to use this verb in a grammatically correct way.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Using Suggest in a Sentence
Step 1. Choose the subject of the sentence, that is, the person, place, thing or idea that performs the action
To start building it, decide who or what will give this tip.
- Generally speaking, people are the subjects who suggest something, precisely because they convey thoughts or ideas through language. Choose the name of an individual to use in the example sentences; in this article we will use Sally.
- But what other subjects can be used with the verb suggest? Sometimes, things can suggest something. For example, the word evidence, “prove”, is often used in conjunction with suggest: The evidence suggests the dog ate his homework.
- Other nouns may not do as well; for example, it may be difficult to construct a sentence using a subject such as drinking glass, "glass", and a verb such as suggest. In fact, it is difficult for an object of this type to suggest anything (but not impossible).
Step 2. Next, add the verb
After choosing the subject of the sentence, insert the verb suggest. In general, a verb is a word that expresses an action, sensation or state. You will have to conjugate it depending on the subject.
- In our example, the subject is Sally, corresponding to the third person singular. As a result, suggest becomes suggests, so the sentence will be Sally suggests.
- If the subject of the sentence were the first person singular, i.e. I, you would have to conjugate the verb accordingly, which will simply be suggest. In this example, the sentence you would get would be I suggest.
Step 3. Include the object complement
The direct object of a sentence indicates the action of the verb. It can be a noun, a pronoun, an expression or a sentence. In relation to the verb suggest, the direct object is the thing that is suggested.
- To find the direct object in the example sentence, ask yourself: What is Sally suggesting? If you can answer the question, you will have found your object complement. For example, he may be suggesting ice cream for dessert.
- In this case, the noun ice cream, "gelato", becomes the object complement. Add it to the end of the sentence, after the verb suggest. This gives rise to the phrase: Sally suggests ice cream for dessert.
Step 4. Learn to structure the sentence when the direct object is made up of an entire sentence
Sometimes, the direct object becomes a little more complicated; this happens when a sentence takes on the role of a noun.
- For example, if Sally suggested we go eat ice cream, the sentence would be like this: Sally suggests we go eat ice cream.
- In this case, the direct object is the whole We go eat ice cream proposition, because Sally is suggesting a complete idea; the proposal takes on the role of a noun, thus becoming a direct object.
Method 2 of 3: Follow the Grammar Rules
Step 1. Change the form of the word suggest according to the pronoun used
Sometimes a pronoun is used instead of a noun, which therefore acts as a substitute; you, we, it, he or she are an example.
- When you use I or you, which are in the singular, the verb remains unchanged: I suggest picking flowers or You suggest it to the group.
- The same is true when using we or you (plural). For example, you might say We suggest a different color or You (all) suggest eating out.
- In fact, the only time you have to change the verb, so write suggests, is in the third person singular, that is with the pronouns he, she, it or, as in the examples, Sally. The third person plural uses suggest instead.
Step 2. At past tense, suggest becomes suggested
A verb conjugated in this way tells the reader (or listener) that the action happened in the past, not at this time. The past tense of suggest is suggested.
- If you made a suggestion to the boss yesterday, you might say I suggested it to Rob yesterday, but he didn't like the idea.
- Keep in mind that suggested is invariable, whatever noun or pronoun you use, whether it's first, second or third person, singular or plural.
Step 3. Transform suggest into will suggest, a future tense
Like past tense, this tense remains unchanged. It tells the reader or listener that the action will happen in the future. Suggest therefore becomes will suggest, for any person, singular (like I) or plural (like they) that it is.
- If your girlfriend wants to make a suggestion the day after you are talking, she will say I will suggest that idea tomorrow.
- Also, if you want to tell someone else that your girlfriend will suggest something, you can use a phrase like She said she will suggest that tomorrow.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding the Word Suggest
Step 1. Know the meaning of the word suggest, the verbal form of suggestion
When you make a suggestion, you offer an opinion.
- The word suggest is similar to demand, “to demand, to request”, since both make a request. However, demand is a word with a very strong connotation; when you demand something, you don't give your interlocutor much choice. You want me to do what you want.
- The word suggest, on the other hand, does not indicate a request. You want your idea to be heard, but you are not asking for it to be fulfilled. When you suggest that a group of people go for ice cream, you hope you can all go there, but you are open to other thoughts and suggestions.
Step 2. Understand how the word suggest works within sentence structure
It is a transitive verb, therefore a proposition that contains it must be formed by a subject, by the verb suggest and by an object complement.
- All sentences must have a subject. A subject corresponds to a noun or a pronoun, which can indicate a person, a place, a thing or an idea. A pronoun replaces a noun: it is a way to refer to someone or something without repeating the same word. He, she, it and they are examples of pronouns.
- All sentences must also have a verb. Whether it is the noun or the pronoun that “does” something, the verb indicates the action. In short, it states what the subject does.
- Some verbs are transitive; this means that they must have a direct object, which in turn can be a noun or a pronoun. However, in this case, the person or thing indicated by the object complement receives the effects of the action, does not perform it.
Advice
- In the present tense, suggest is used, except in the case of the third person singular, which requires suggests instead. Furthermore, remember that this verb always requires the use of a direct complement, which expresses what is suggested at the end of the sentence.
- The pronoun I corresponds to the first person singular, so you use it when talking about yourself. We is also a first person pronoun, but plural, so it refers to a group and includes multiple people, including you. You is a first person pronoun, which, depending on the context, can be singular or plural.
Warnings
- Suggest is never followed by an infinitive verb.
- Suggest is never followed by a personal pronoun used as an indirect complement (like me, us or you).
