Interrogatives – Difference Between ‘How About’ and ‘What About’

interrogatives

Can anyone tell me the difference between How about and What about in the following sentences?

What should I say: What about her or How about her ?

And,

Should I say What about playing cards or How about playing cards?

Best Answer

There is some difference in usage between how about and what about.

If you are planning something with a friend and you want to raise some potential problem, you would only use what about- effectively as a short form for what shall we do about.... If you want to suggest a new idea or a possible solution to a problem, you can use either what about or how about.

Person A: How about/what about going sailing tomorrow! -suggestion
Person B: Nice idea, but what about the kids? - potential problem
Person A: Could we get somebody to baby sit?
Person B: How about/what about your neighbour's daughter? - suggested solution

Looking at your sentences:

what about/how about her? -if she's a suggestion or a solution
what about her? - if she's a potential problem.

.

What about/how about playing cards? -playing cards is a suggestion

Related Topic