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What is How about? Basic knowledge about How about

When someone wants to propose their thoughts and ideas to others, "How about" often appears in these situations. To help you understand How about and use it more effectively, PREP has compiled all the principles, specific examples of how to use "How about," and other related structures right below. Let's explore!

how about structure — What is How about? Basic knowledge about How about

I. What is How about?
II. Công thức How about trong tiếng Anh
III. Distinguishing between How about and What about
IV. Alternative structures that can replace How about
V. Ways to respond to How about
VI. Exercises to practice the How about structure with detailed answers

I. What is How about?

"How about" - /haʊ əˈbaʊt/ is a phrase often used to make suggestions or proposals. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it is used to introduce a suggestion or offer. For example:

How about working online from home?
How about taking a journey from one end of Austria to the other?

II. Công thức How about trong tiếng Anh

How about is used to express a suggestion or proposal. Below are common structures of How about:

How about + N/ V-ing +....?

For example:

How about a navy blue dress?
How about working weekends?

How about + S + V-inf + …?

For example:

How about my friend calling her?
How about we go for a walk after dinner?

How about + V-ing is used more frequently than the other two structures with "How about" as a clause. Additionally, you can use these two structures in the negative form by placing "not" before the verb "N/V-ing" and "V-inf" in both structures.

For example:

How about not eating so much junk food?
How about we don't order takeout tonight?

III. Distinguishing between How about and What about

How do the structures How about and What about differ? Follow the table below to accurately distinguish between these two English phrases!

Distinguishing between How about and What about	How about	What about
Similarities	Both are used to express suggestions, proposals, or thoughts.
Meaning	After How about, it usually leads to a phrase that explains what the speaker genuinely wants	The speaker’s suggestion is just one option.
Purpose	The listener is only required to respond with yes or no after the speaker makes a new suggestion. The speaker is free to offer multiple different suggestions.	Instead of just requesting a yes or no answer, the speaker offers a suggestion and seeks additional opinions from the audience. This structure can also be used to describe current difficulties or challenges
Usage	How about is typically followed by a verb in the -ing form.	What about is usually followed by a noun
Example	How about watching a romance movie tonight with me? How about going to a concert this weekend together?	What about cooking dinner together tonight? What about visiting that new art exhibition?

IV. Alternative structures that can replace How about

You can use three English structures that have similar meanings to How about, including "Let's," "Why don't we / Why not," and "Shall we?" The specific usages are as follows:

Alternative structures that can replace How about	Usage	Example
Let’s + V-inf + ….	Used to make a suggestion or propose a joint action.	Let's study together for the IELTS exam. Let's do a group project.
Why don’t we/ Why not + V-inf + …?	Used to suggest an idea or activity, typically when seeking agreement.	Why don't we visit that new museum downtown? Why not try this new recipe?
Shall we + V-inf + …?	Used to ask for agreement or to suggest a course of action.	Shall we start the report meeting now? Shall we change the audit content plan?

V. Ways to respond to How about

When the asker uses the phrase “How about” to make a suggestion, the response should quickly provide an agreement or disagreement, or offer a brief explanation of one’s viewpoint. Here are some responses to the structure "How about" that you can use in various situations.

Type of response	Ways to respond to How about
Agreement	That’s a good idea!
	Let’s do it!
	Why not!
	It’s up to you!
	That sounds good!
	Sure!
Disagreement	I don’t think that’s a good idea!
	I’m not sure.
	I prefer/would rather…
	I think we should…
	No, thanks!
	I can’t (do this) because…

Sample dialog:

A: We could use a brighter color for the logo.
B: That's a good idea! It would make it more eye-catching.
A: How about using plastic bags as a source material?
B: I think we should focus on protecting the environment.

VI. Exercises to practice the How about structure with detailed answers

Practice the exercises below to remember how to use How about quickly!

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences using the How about or What about structure so that the meaning does not change.

There is no food in the kitchen - why don’t you go to the market?
Mom, the weather is very cozy. Why don’t we go on a picnic?
Shall we play badminton this afternoon?
I am very sleepy. – Why don’t you go to bed early?
Why don’t we go to the bookstore?

Answer key:

What about going to the supermarket?
How about going on a picnic?
What about playing badminton this afternoon?
How about you go to bed early?
How about going to the bookstore?

This article provides all the basic knowledge about the How about structure commonly encountered in English. You can refer to other common English structures compiled by PREP to use flexibly when needed. Follow PREP for more interesting knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.