Difference between SUGGEST and RECOMMEND

Discover the difference between SUGGEST and RECOMMEND, their correct grammatical structures, and the most common mistakes.

Updated on 09/02/26

Difference between suggest and recommend

If you have ever wondered what the difference between suggest and recommend is, or why you can’t say «I suggest you to go», you have come to the right place. These two verbs are incredibly useful in English, but they are also responsible for some of the most common errors among students of all levels.

Although both verbs are translated similarly into Spanish (sugerir and recomendar), their grammatical structures have specific characteristics that can be confusing. In this article, we are going to break down everything you need to know about suggest and recommend, including their differences, correct structures, typical errors, and how they appear in Cambridge exams.

What is the difference between suggest and recommend?

Although suggest and recommend are quite similar, there is a subtle but important difference between them:

• Suggest is used to give ideas or proposals without implying a strong personal preference. It is more neutral and simply presents an option or possibility.
• Recommend carries a higher degree of personal endorsement. When you recommend something, you are expressing confidence in that option based on your experience or knowledge.

Let’s look at a practical example:

• «I suggest trying the new Italian restaurant» → You are presenting an option, but in a neutral way.
• «I recommend trying the new Italian restaurant» → You have been there, you liked it, and you are actively endorsing that option.

That being said, in many contexts both verbs are interchangeable, and the difference is so subtle that native speakers often use them interchangeably. What is really important is to master their grammatical structures, which is where problems usually arise.

Grammatical structures with suggest

The verb suggest can appear in several different structures. Let’s look at all of them with clear examples so you can master them completely.

Suggest + noun

This is the simplest structure. You simply place a noun after the verb:

• He suggested a film (to me).
• She suggested a different approach.
• They suggested Italian food.

Notice that you can optionally add «to me», «to us», etc., but it is not obligatory.

Suggest + gerund (-ing)

When you want to suggest an action, you use the gerund (the -ing form of the verb):

• He suggested watching a film.
• I suggest visiting the museum early in the morning.
• She suggested going by train instead of driving.

This structure is very common and relatively easy to remember. If you are just starting out, I recommend you focus on mastering this form first.

Suggest + that + subjunctive

This is where things get a bit more complicated. When you use suggest followed by that and a person, the verb that follows must be in the subjunctive. In English, the present subjunctive has the same form as the infinitive without to:

• He suggested (to us) that we watch a film.
• I suggest that she come early.
• The doctor suggested that he take the medicine twice a day.

Look at the third example: we say «he take», not «he takes». This is because we are using the subjunctive, not the present simple.

You can also use the past subjunctive or add should:

• He suggested (to us) that we watched a film. → Past subjunctive (more common in informal British English).
• He suggested (to us) that we should watch a film. → With should (very common and easier to use).

Later in this article, we will go deeper into the topic of the subjunctive with these verbs.

The most common mistake with suggest

The most typical mistake English students make is using the infinitive with to directly after suggest:

• ❌ He suggested us to watch a film.
• ❌ I suggest you to go there.
• ❌ She suggested to visit the museum.

This structure does NOT exist in English. Never use suggest + person + infinitive. It is probably the most common error with this verb, and it happens because in Spanish we do say «te sugiero ir» or «le sugerí que fuera».

The correct forms would be:

• ✅ He suggested (that) we watch a film.
• ✅ He suggested watching a film.
• ✅ I suggest (that) you go there.
• ✅ I suggest going there.

Grammatical structures with recommend

The verb recommend works very similarly to suggest, but with one important difference: it does allow the use of the infinitive with to in certain cases. Let’s look at all its structures.

Recommend + noun

Just like with suggest, you can use a noun directly:

• The doctor recommended a coastal area (to us).
• I recommend this book.
• She recommended the grilled salmon.

Recommend + gerund (-ing)

You can also use the gerund to recommend an action:

• The doctor recommended moving to a coastal area.
• I recommend visiting the museum if you enjoy modern art.
• We recommend booking in advance.

Recommend + that + subjunctive

Just like suggest, recommend can be followed by that and the subjunctive:

• He recommended (us) that we move to a coastal area. → Present subjunctive.
• He recommended (us) that we moved to a coastal area. → Past subjunctive.
• He recommended (us) that we should move to a coastal area. → With should.
• It is highly recommended that you take precautions.

Recommend + object + infinitive

And here is the big difference with suggest: recommend can be followed by an object and an infinitive with to:

• ✅ He recommended us to move to a coastal area.
• ✅ I recommend you to try the cheesecake.
• ✅ The teacher recommended me to read more.

This structure is perfectly correct with recommend, but remember: it does NOT work with suggest.

Common mistakes with recommend

Although recommend is more flexible than suggest, there are still errors you should avoid:

1. Using the infinitive without an object:
   ❌ I recommend to visit the museum.
   ✅ I recommend visiting the museum.
   ✅ I recommend you to visit the museum.
2. Confusing structures with suggest:
   ❌ I suggest you to go. (Incorrect with suggest)
   ✅ I recommend you to go. (Correct with recommend)
   ✅ I suggest you go. (Correct with suggest)

Comparative table: suggest vs recommend

So you can see all the structures at a glance, here is a complete comparative table:

As you can see, the only important structural difference is that recommend allows the construction with object + infinitive, while suggest does not.

The subjunctive in English with verbs of urgency

Both suggest and recommend belong to a group of verbs known as verbs of urgency or mandative verbs. These verbs express suggestions, recommendations, orders, or requests, and they have an important grammatical peculiarity: they are followed by the subjunctive.

The subjunctive in English may seem strange at first, especially because in the present tense it has exactly the same form as the infinitive without to:

• I suggest that he go there. (Not «goes»)
• She recommended that we be there early. (Not «are»)
• It’s important that she take the medicine. (Not «takes»)

This topic is part of advanced English grammar and is especially relevant when studying reporting verbs and reported speech in English.

Why does «should» disappear?

Originally, these structures included should:

• I suggest that she should come early.

Over time, English simplified this structure and should became optional, leaving only the verb in its base form (the subjunctive):

• I suggest that she come early.

Both forms are correct nowadays, although the version without should is more common in American English, while the version with should is more frequent in British English. If it is easier for you, you can always use the form with should and you will be perfectly correct.

Other verbs of urgency (demand, insist, urge, etc.)

In addition to suggest and recommend, there are other verbs that work the same way:

• Demand: I demanded that I be here.
• Insist: She insisted that he come with us.
• Urge: We urge that you check your statements regularly.
• Request: They requested that we arrive early.
• Propose: I propose that we meet earlier.

There are also impersonal expressions that follow the same rule:

• It’s important that…: It’s important that you do it.
• It’s crucial that…: It’s crucial that he come.
• It’s essential that…: It’s essential that she be there.
• It’s vital that…: It’s vital that we act now.
• It’s key that…: It’s key that he understand this.

Suggest and Recommend in Cambridge exams

If you are preparing for a Cambridge exam, it is fundamental that you master these verbs, as they frequently appear in both the B2 First Use of English and the C1 Advanced Use of English.

In the Use of English, it is common to find sentence transformation exercises where you have to change from one structure to another:

In the Writing, using suggest and recommend correctly can make a difference to your score, especially in:

• Reports: When making recommendations at the end.
• Proposals: When suggesting ideas or plans.
• Essays: When presenting solutions or alternatives.
• Reviews: When recommending (or not) something.

Alternatives to suggest and recommend

Although suggest and recommend are very useful, sometimes it can be convenient to use other similar verbs, especially to avoid repetition in your writing or to fit the context better.

Advise

Advise is more formal than suggest and recommend, and it is used especially when the advice is based on specialised knowledge or professional authority. It is common in legal, medical, or security contexts.

Structures with advise:

• Advise + object + infinitive: I advise you to be cautious.
• Advise + gerund: We advise being cautious.
• Advise against + gerund: We advise against walking alone at night.

The advantage of advise is that its structure is simpler and very common. If you have doubts with suggest or recommend, advise can be a good alternative.

Propose

Propose is mainly used in formal contexts, such as business meetings or discussions where agreements or consensus are sought.

Structures with propose:

• Propose + noun: I propose a compromise.
• Propose + gerund: I propose meeting earlier.
• Propose + that + subjunctive: I propose that we meet earlier.

Propose works very similarly to suggest, but it has a more formal tone and is more associated with concrete plans or ideas than with simple suggestions.

Should

Finally, you can always opt for simplicity and use should:

• Instead of: I suggest that you go there.
• You can say: You should go there.

Using should is perfectly correct and, in fact, much more common in everyday spoken English. The difference is that should is more direct (almost a gentle order), while suggest and recommend are more diplomatic and present the idea as an option.

Practical exercises with suggest and recommend

Do you want to test everything you have learned about the difference between suggest and recommend? Here is a series of practical exercises to help you consolidate their uses and main structures. Have a go at completing them and check your answers below!

Tips to avoid confusion

After everything we have seen, here are some practical tips that will help you use suggest and recommend correctly and without hesitation:

1. Memorise the gerund structure first

If you are at an intermediate level, focus on mastering suggest/recommend + gerund. It is the safest structure and works in most situations:

• I suggest watching that film.
• I recommend visiting the museum.

Once you master this structure, you can start exploring the others.

2. Remember the golden rule: NEVER «suggest + person + infinitive»

This is the most common mistake and the easiest to avoid if you are clear about it:

• ❌ I suggest you to go.
• ✅ I suggest you go.
• ✅ I suggest going.

With recommend you can use this structure, but with suggest, never.

3. When in doubt, use «advise»

If you are not sure which structure to use, advise can save you:

• I advise you to go there. → Clear structure and easy to use.

It is more formal, but it is correct and easy to use.

4. Practice with «should» first

If the subjunctive is complicated for you, start by using should in your that structures:

• I suggest that you should go.
• I recommend that she should come early.

It is perfectly correct and gives you more confidence until you feel comfortable with the subjunctive.

5. Read and listen to authentic English

The best way to internalise these structures is to see them in context. Pay attention to how native speakers use suggest and recommend in films, series, podcasts, or articles. You will see that in everyday spoken English, they often opt for simpler structures or directly use should.

6. Do not be afraid to make mistakes

These verbs are complicated even for advanced students. The important thing is that you communicate and that you gradually refine your usage. Every time you are corrected or you notice a mistake, you will be one step closer to mastering them completely.

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Conclusion

As we have seen, although suggest and recommend have very similar meanings, their grammatical structures present some important differences that you should know. The key is remembering that suggest is never followed by person + infinitive, while recommend does allow this construction.

If you are just starting out, focus on mastering the gerund structure (suggest/recommend + -ing), which is the safest and most natural. As you progress, you can incorporate the structures with the subjunctive, which are especially useful in formal contexts and in Cambridge exams.

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