Can I help you with the dishes?
Can we give you a lift into town?
offers of help: may
5.175 May is also used when you are offering to do something for someone. It is less common than can, and is rather formal and old-fashioned.
May I help you?
May I take your coat?
offers of help: shall and should
5.176 You can also use shall or should when you are offering to do something.
If you are offering to do something that you can do immediately, or you are fairly confident that your offer will be accepted, you use shall.
Shall I shut the door?
Shall I spell that for you?
If you talking about a less likely or less immediate situation, or if you are uncertain whether your offer will be accepted, you use should.
Should I give her a ring?
Should I put all these meetings on my calendar?
emphasizing ability: can
5.177 If you want to emphasize your ability to help, you can make an offer using can in a declarative sentence.
I have a car. I can drop you off on my way home.
I can pop in at the shop tomorrow.
persuasive invitations: must and have to
5.178 If you want to make an invitation in a very persuasive way, you can use a declarative sentence beginning with you and must or have to. Have to is more common in American English.
You must join us for drinks this evening.
You have to come and visit me.
You only use must and have to like this with people who you know well.
5.179 Other ways of making an offer or invitation are dealt with in paragraph 5.42.
Making suggestions
5.180 Suggestions can be made by using a modal in a declarative or interrogative sentence. The subject of the sentence is usually we or you.
suggesting: could
5.181 You can make a suggestion by using could in a declarative sentence or couldn’t in an interrogative sentence.
If the business doesn’t work out we could sell it.
You could have a nursery there.
Couldn’t you just build more factories?
Couldn’t some international agreement be concluded to ban these weapons?
suggesting: should and ought to
5.182 If you are making a suggestion and you want to indicate that you feel strongly that it is a good idea, you can use should or ought to.
You should ask Norry about this.
I think you should get in touch with your solicitor.
We ought to celebrate. Let’s get a bottle of champagne.
I think you ought to try a different approach.
A more polite way of making a suggestion that you feel strongly about is to use shouldn’t or oughtn’t to in an interrogative sentence.
Shouldn’t we at least give her a chance?
Oughtn’t we to phone the police?
persuading: must
5.183 If you are suggesting an action and you are trying to persuade someone that it should be done, you use must. You only use must like this when you are talking to someone you know well.
You must say hello to your daughter.
We must go to the place, perhaps have a weekend there.
polite suggestions: might
5.184 If you want to make a suggestion in a very polite way, you can use might with you in a declarative sentence. Might is followed by a verb meaning to like or to want.
You might want to comment on his latest proposal.
I thought perhaps you might like to come along with me.
You can also make a polite suggestion by using a sentence beginning with It might be, followed by a noun phrase or adjective and a to-infinitive clause.
I think it might be a good idea to stop now.
It might be better to wait a while.
suggesting: might as well, may as well
5.185 You can also make suggestions using the expressions might as well and may as well.
You use might as well when what you are suggesting seems to be the only sensible course of action, although you are not enthusiastic about it.
He might as well take the car.
We might as well call the whole thing off.
You use may as well to show that it is not important to you whether your suggestion is accepted or not.
You may as well open them all.
We may as well give her a copy.
suggesting: shall
5.186 You can make a suggestion about what you and someone else could do by using an interrogative sentence beginning with shall and we.
Shall we go and see a film?
Shall we go on to question number six?
Shall we talk about something different now?
5.187 Other ways of making suggestions are described in paragraph 5.46.
Stating an intention
5.188 Intentions are usually stated by using will, shall, or must in a declarative sentence. The subject is I or we.
intentions: will
5.189 The usual way to state an intention is to use I or we with will. The shortened forms I’ll and we’ll are very common.
I will call you when I am ready.