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'What about' and 'how about' are practically interchangeable for suggestions; 'what about' can also highlight something overlooked.
Side-by-side comparison
"What about" and "how about" are nearly interchangeable when making a suggestion or proposal. Both are followed by a noun or gerund.
I am going to the supermarket. What about milk, do we need any, or are we okay?
We have booked the hotel and flights, but what about transport from the airport to the city?
What about your brother, is he coming to the family dinner on Sunday?
The difference is subtle: "what about" can also request information or remind someone of something overlooked; "how about" is used almost exclusively for suggestions.
How about we meet at the café near the station at three o'clock this afternoon?
How about trying that new Thai restaurant tonight instead of cooking at home?
How about a walk in the park after lunch? The weather looks really nice today.
Common mistake
"How about the exit strategy?" sounds like a new suggestion; to point out something left out of the plan use "What about": "We covered everything, but what about the exit strategy?" Another error: "What about to submit it" is wrong, after "what/how about" use a noun or gerund (-ing), never an infinitive.
Trick to remember it
- •"What about" points out something left out ("what about the exit strategy?"); "how about" only suggests something new, though for suggestions, both are interchangeable.
- •After "what/how about" always use a noun or gerund: "What about Tuesday?" / "How about meeting?", never an infinitive.
Quick rule
- •How about = suggestions (informal).
- •What about = suggestions + pointing out omitted elements.
- •Always followed by a noun or gerund (-ing), never an infinitive.
Did you know?
"How about" is a fascinating example of what linguists call "conversational ellipsis", a grammatically incomplete structure that all native speakers understand effortlessly. "How about coffee?" has no visible subject or main verb, but everyone understands "How about [having/getting/going for] coffee?" This omission of contextually recoverable elements is universal in human languages. In Japanese: "Kohi wa?" (topic + particle). "How about" has become so conventional that it functions almost as a proposal interjection, it no longer needs to be decomposed into its parts to be understood.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
"I'm hungry." "_____ ordering a pizza? That's quick and easy."
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"We've sorted out the main course. _____ dessert?"
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
'In case' expresses a precaution against something that might happen; 'if' introduces a condition for the main action.
'What' asks from an unlimited set of options; 'which' asks when there is a limited, defined set of options to choose from.
'Wish' and 'if only' express desires about hypothetical situations; 'if only' is more emphatic and dramatic.
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy