As it often happens, the English language might be a bit tricky, especially for the ESL students. Some English words have multiple meanings and, moreover, sentence patterns associated with them. “Advise vs. Recommend vs. Suggest” is one of such puzzles. These verbs could be followed by the noun, gerund, pronoun or noun, or even use in the subjunctive mood i.e., with a noun clause containing a verb!
You see, the number of possible options is significant! Let’s sort things out and understand when you should use recommend, suggest, and advise.
Hint: Use this free online grammar check tool to fix your mistakes. Linguix Paraphraser also helps you to improve the content you’ve already written.
What these words stand for
First of all, let’s cover the basics. Verbs “recommend,” “suggest,” and “advise” are all used in situations when someone is telling another person what to do. In many cases you can use these verbs interchangeably. However, there are also some differences in their exact meanings and usage patterns.
Let’s break this down:
- Advise is a more formal verb, it is used in corresponding situations when one person gets direction from some sort of professional (doctor, teacher) or superior person (manager, government official).
- Recommend is less formal and more personal. You use it when suggesting something based on your own experience.
- Suggest is the less formal of all three verbs, you use it when talking about ideas, opinion, etc.
Guidelines
The more you study these words, the more differences you will find. Here are common guidelines you should know to be always correct in this “advise/recommends/suggest” puzzle.
Suggest doing something
You use this form in the case when the person suggesting is always involved in the activity. This form is often used with a gerund.
Example:
She suggested going for lunch.
In this example, the person is also about to go for lunch with others.
Suggest (that) someone (should) do something
In this case, the person suggesting does not mean he or she will participate in the activity.
He suggested that I should go and apply for this job.
Sometimes, however, the person making the suggestion might also be involved in the activity:
He suggested that we should all go for lunch.
Important: the verb “recommend” follows the same rules as “suggest.”
Recommend something/someone to someone
This is a “recommend/suggest/advise + noun” pattern. If you want to include in your sentence the person who the suggestion is being made to, then you can use the “noun object + to + person” pattern.
She recommended her dentist to me.
ESL students often put “to + person” after the verb itself. It is done like this in many languages, but this is wrong in English.
Wrong: She recommended to me her dentist.
Suggestion + that + subject + base verb
This is the trickiest part of the topic. The structure when the suggestion verb is followed by a noun clause is called the subjunctive mood.
The exact pattern looks as follows: “verb of suggestion + that + subject + base verb.”
Examples:
My coworker recommended that she take a taxi home from the office.
The sales rep suggested that he put this offer on hold.
Quick usage guide
Choose by formality and involvement: advise is the most formal and often used for professional or official guidance; recommend is friendlier and based on experience; suggest is the most casual and idea-focused. All three can introduce actions, but the sentence patterns differ.
When deciding which verb to use, focus on three common constructions: a gerund for shared activities, an infinitive or direct object for advising someone, and a “that” clause (sometimes with the subjunctive) for formal proposals or decisions.
Keep these short rules in mind to avoid common mistakes and make your sentence sound natural.
- advise + someone + to + base verb: professional/clear direction – e.g., “The lawyer advised her to avoid commenting.”
- recommend/suggest + -ing: proposing an activity, often when the suggester may join – e.g., “He suggested trying the new cafe.”
- recommend/suggest + that + subject + base verb (subjunctive possible): formal proposal – e.g., “They recommended that she attend the conference.”
- recommend/suggest + noun + to + person: correct order for recommending someone/something to someone – avoid placing “to someone” immediately after the verb.
FAQ
Can I use “advise” with a gerund?
It’s uncommon. Use “advise someone to do something” or “advise that someone do something” for clear guidance rather than “advise doing something.”
Is the subjunctive required after recommend/suggest/advise?
In formal contexts the subjunctive (“that she arrive on time”) is common after recommend/suggest; in casual speech people often use “should” instead (“that she should arrive”). Both are understood, but the subjunctive reads more formal.
Which verb is safest for neutral advice?
Recommend is a good neutral choice when you’re offering a personal opinion without the strong authority implied by advise or the casual tone of suggest.