Suggestions
We usesuppose, supposingandwhat if+ present verb form to make suggestions about what might happen:
A:What time shall we meet?
B:Supposewe meet in the offices downstairs at four o’clock?
A:That’s perfect. I’ll let the others know.
SupposingI don’t bring my car and you and I travel together. That would save us half the cost of petrol and parking.
A:The electricity has gone. There must be a power cut.
B:Whatifwe find the candles and put them around the room?
A:Okay. Good idea. Do you know where they are?
Possibility
When we are less certain, we usesuppose, supposingandwhat if+ past form to talk about future possibility:
Supposewe asked Mary to baby-sit? Do you think she’d do it?(not as certain asSuppose we ask Mary to baby-sit?)
Supposingsomeone else wrote the essay. How would we know?(not as certain asSupposing someone else writes the essay …)
A:What ifI gave up working full-time. I’d love that.
B:You’re joking surely!!
When we refer to something that did not happen (something hypothetical), we use the past perfect:
Supposewe hadn’t brought our umbrellas.(We did bring our umbrellas.)
Supposingthey had closed the road. Would that have been a good idea?(They didn’t close the road.)
What ifIhadaccidentally told Maria about the party! That would have ruined the surprise.(I didn’t tell Maria about the party.)
We usebe supposed toto talk about obligations and arrangements, not suggestions.
Youare supposed toput money in the parking meter!
See also:
Be supposed to
Suggestions
How