Collocation
What if we tried this?
This is a polite and common way to suggest a new or alternative approach, idea, or method to solve a problem or improve a situation. It's often used when previous attempts haven't been successful or when exploring possibilities. The past tense 'tried' is used to express a hypothetical situation in the present or future, making the suggestion sound less demanding and more open for discussion.
Definition
'What if we tried this?' is a common English collocation. This is a polite and common way to suggest a new or alternative approach, idea, or method to solve a problem or improve a situation. It's often used when previous attempts haven't been successful or when exploring possibilities. The past tense 'tried' is used to express a hypothetical situation in the present or future, making the suggestion sound less demanding and more open for discussion.
What if we + tried + [pronoun/noun phrase]
“The initial plan didn't work out as expected. What if we tried this approach instead?”
Examples
- The old method isn't efficient enough; what if we tried this new software?
- We're completely stuck on this difficult puzzle, so what if we tried this different approach?
- I don't think that initial solution will work for the long term; what if we tried this other option?
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- Everyone is struggling with the current task flow; what if we tried this entirely different system?
- Sales have been down this quarter, so what if we tried this bold new marketing strategy?
- This recipe isn't turning out quite right, what if we tried this alternative ingredient?
- We've been debating this point for hours now; what if we tried this compromise instead?
- They haven't responded to our last proposal, so what if we tried this more direct communication method?
- The car won't start again, despite all our efforts; what if we tried this, checking the battery terminals?
- If the traditional route fails completely, what if we tried this unconventional path as a last resort?
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More at A2 level
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