Travel Tips: How to Ask for Information and Make Recommendations

London, UK (Credit: Luca Micheli)

In this lesson, we are going to focus on phrases you can use when asking for information and making recommendations. We usually need some advice when we decide to travel abroad. 

Let's focus on some polite ways to make requests and recommendations in English.  


SPEAKING STRATEGY: MAKING POLITE REQUESTS 

I was wondering if you could... 

• As you're from there, I was wondering if you could give me some tips? 
• I was wondering if you could suggest a good place to stay? 

Do you think it's a good idea...? | Do you think you could...? | Do you think I should...? 

• Do you think it’s a good idea to travel alone? 
• Do you think you could suggest a few places to see? 
• Do you think I should exchange money at a bank or bureau de change? 

Is it worth …? / Is … worth …? 

• Is it worth visiting Dubai? / Is Dubai worth visiting? 
• Is Singapore worth visiting? / Are Melbourne and Canberra worth visiting? 

Would you recommend...? 

• Would you recommend going to the National Museum? 
• What places would you recommend visiting in Spain? 
• Which city in your country would you recommend people to visit? 
• Where would you recommend to stay? 

SPEAKING STRATEGY: MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS 

To recommend someone does something​ 

It’s worth …ing. 

• It’s worth going to Italy in spring or autumn. 

You should definitely… 

• You should definitely rent a car. 

I recommend (that) you… 

• I recommend you pack clothes that can be mixed and matched easily. 

​I recommend …ing. 

• I recommend trying some local food instead of eating at fast food restaurants. 

To recommend someone doesn’t do something

​Don’t bother …ing. 

• Don’t bother bringing toiletries when travelling. They’re cheap and easy to find everywhere. 
• Don't bother going to this place. There's nothing much you can do there. 

It’s not really worth …ing. 

• It’s not really worth spending a lot of money on flights. 
• I think this tourist attraction is a bit overrated. It's not really worth seeing in person. 

I wouldn’t … if I were you. 

• I wouldn’t go to Vietnam during the rainy season if I were you. 

​

TASKS: 

1. Imagine you are going on a trip to the UK. You know someone who is from there. Ask politely for information: accommodation, transport, safety, money, food, shopping, sightseeing. 
2. Make recommendations to a foreign friend of yours who is coming to visit you in your country. 

Other lessons:
Story Time: Travelling in Spain 
Story Time: Travelling in France 
Phrasal Verbs: Phones and Technology 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 

English conversation lessons:
​English Conversation: Travel opinions 
English Conversation: Travel experience 
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 


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