‘How about’? or ‘What about’
Some advanced learners of English occasionally confuse these two expressions…
If you say ‘What about…?’, it has a sense of ‘I think that you’ve forgotten about…’, or ‘I think that you have overlooked…’ (I’m reminding you). For example;
Mother: Have you packed your schoolbag?
Daughter: Yes, I’ve packed my books, my pens and my lunchbox.
Mother: But what about your iPad?
Daughter: Oh! I forgot to pack that! I’ll get it now…
If you say ‘How about…?’, it has a sense of ‘What do you think about…’? (I’m suggesting something). For example;
Mother: Have you invited your friends to your birthday party?
Daughter: Yes, they’ve all said that they’ll come.
Mother: How about inviting your brother and your sister? I’m sure they’d love to come too.
Daughter: I don’t think so. I think they’ll find it a bit boring.
However, ‘How about you’ and ‘What about you?’ are responses which are a quick way of asking the other person the same thing about themselves as you have just explained about you.
They are both correct and both mean ‘and you? Tell me about you’
Friend one: How have you been?
Friend two: Very well – a little busy with studies. How about you?
Friend one: Great, thanks. I’ve been working hard recently though
Friend two: Where do you work?
Friend one: At the local council. What about you?
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Thank you,
Martin
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