How about is used to suggest an idea or an option: “what do you think of…?”, “shall we…?”. How about you? is a return question, “and you?”, “what about you?”, when you've answered yourself and pass the question back. It sounds friendly and works with friends and colleagues.
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How about + noun?; How about + verb-ing?; How about we + verb?; I'm fine. How about you?
- How about a quick coffee before the lecture starts?
- I can't make it on Monday. How about meeting on Wednesday after work?
- I'm from Kazan and moved to London two years ago. How about you?
What changed
First versionHow about to go to the cinema tonight?
RevisionHow about going to the cinema tonight?
After how about comes a noun or a verb with -ing, not to + verb. The infinitive slips in by habit from patterns like Do you want to go…?
When you suggest an idea, What about hardly differs from how about: What about Friday? But What about…? can also point to a forgotten problem or raise an objection: We can go by car. — What about parking? How about isn't usually used this way.
Your turn
The traffic is terrible this morning. How about ___ the train instead?
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taking — The speaker suggests another way to get there, and after how about the verb takes -ing: taking. To take appears by analogy with want to take, but it isn't used after how about.
A friend invites you to the cinema on Saturday, but you're busy. Say no and use How about to suggest a different day and a different activity.
Sorry, I'm busy on Saturday. How about going for a walk in the park on Sunday afternoon?
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