student asking question

What is the difference between "what about ~" and "how about ~"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Great question! I can understand how these can be mixed up. "What about ~" is used to ask someone about their opinions or ideas. "How about ~" is used for the speaker to make a suggestion or offer. Princess Bubblegum is making an offer to give the cookie guy a cowboy hat to release the hostages. A: What do you want to do tonight? B: How about we go to the movies? A: Sure, that sounds great! Ex: How about we eat out tonight. I don't feel like cooking. A: I'm bored, I don't know what to do. B: What about a movie tonight? A: I guess we could do that. Ex: What about seafood? We could have that tonight.

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