Hi this is Ceema, and I am back with a new lesson on How about? VS What about? Well both
these expressions are question words, okay. So remember that you will always use either
of these expressions only when you are asking a question, okay. So remember this comes with
a huge question mark and also remember that how about and what about is always used at
the start of the sentence. It's not gonna be at the middle of a sentence. It's not gonna
be at the end. It's a question word used always at the beginning of the sentence. However
you know while talking to my students and other people in general , I found out that
a lot of people including teachers sometimes make a very common mistake by using both these
expressions interchangeably, I mean they use it as if both these expressions could be used
at the same time in the same way. But that is incorrect English, you cannot use how about
and what about in the same way in the same manner, okay because there is a real difference
between the two and I will tell you what is that difference. When you are using how about
you are going to use it firstly - When you are making a suggestion. So when there are
suggestions involved you will use how about? Suggestion means advice, recommendation or
your opinion, okay. So let's have look at an example, my sentence says - How about a
short vacation to the Hawaii? Is that a suggestion? Is that an advice? or a recommendation? Yes,
It is. So therefore I used how about Now, I cannot say - what about a short vacation
to the Hawaii? that is very very incorrect English, right? So we will always stick to
how about when we are talking about a suggestion. How about a short vacation to the Hawaii.
How about a road trip to the North? Okay, suggestion, advice, opinion, recommendation
always stick with how about,The second way of using , how about is when you are gonna
talk about possibilities, well there are numerous possibilities right? Possibility basically
means something that is bound to happen or something that is very very possible, right?
Or something that has a high chance of occurring, right?. So our sentence says - How about applying
for that job at the bank? So you have a possibility or a chance to apply for that job at the bank,
it could be the job of a human resource manager or clerk or you know any body at the bank
and you think it is possible that you can get the job. You think it is possible that
you can do something and therefore your question always starts with a, how about Or I could
say - How about we go for a movie tomorrow? Is that a possibility? That could also be
a suggestion, right? So therefore you will use, how about? Please remember you can't
use, what about when you are talking about suggestions or possibilities, it's always
gonna be, how about. Now when do you use, What about then, What about is used when you
are talking about a potential problem or an objection, okay now remember what about is
mainly used in response to something that is said, so something could be said to you,
but then you see a potential problem or you want to make an objection, which is why you
use a question starting with what about. So somebody asks you - Can you come out with
me for dinner at 7'O clock in the evening? Yo will say - What about my English class,
that falls on the same time? You see what's happened here, there is a potential problem,
you cannot come at 7'O clock because you have perceived a problem that doesn't allow you
to do that thing at that time. The problem is that, you have an English class at that
same time, so therefore you will say - What about my English class at the same time? How
can I come to dinner at that time? right, that's a potential problem. Also when you
are objecting or you are placing an objection to something that is said to you. So someone
may ask you - Can you come to my house alone? Well you may say - What about your parents?
you know, you were suppose to be at someone's house alone, but what about your parents , won't
they be there at the same time? A potential problem or an Objection, okay. So in these
cases you will never use - How about your parents? or What about your English class
or How about your English class? It's always gonna be what about because you are talking
about a potential problem or an objection, so therefore you will use what about in a
question as a response to something that is said, when you wanna present a potential problem
or an objection in response to what is said. Now there are sometimes when how about and
what about can be used interchangeably, and when is that? This is the golden rule. When
someone or when you are asking some person about what they are doing or feeling, there's
one question that can sum it up, in fact two questions that can sum it up - What about
you? OR How about you? They can be used when you are asking someone about what they are
doing or what they are feeling. So I could say something like - I am having lunch, what
about you? So what am I asking, I am asking that person, what are you doing? What about
you? Um... I am not feeling very well, what about you? that could also apply to, How are
you feeling right now. The same goes for a question like - How about you? I am studying
Math, how about you? Meaning I am asking the person what he or she is doing. Or I could
say - I am feeling very dizzy after going on the ride, okay. I would ask them - How
about you? which means I am asking them, how are they feeling. So as you can see both these
can be used when you are asking someone about how they are feeling or what they are doing.
That's the only rule which applies to both these words used together or interchangeably,
okay. That's it from me on this lesson on How about VS What about? I hope you found
it very interesting and very informative, I will be back with some more lessons, until