'How about...?' vs 'what about...?'

[Glizdka]

There's a significant difference between how about...? and what about...?, and to my knowledge, it is generally a mistake to use them interchangeably.

I think how about...? is primarily used to make suggestions or offers, and to ask for someone's opinion on a proposal. It effectively means why don't we...?, maybe we should...?, and shall we...?.

What about...?, on the other hand, is used to express concern or an objection because something important hasn't been considered. It effectively means don't forget about...!, you haven't mentioned...!, and think about...too!.

Of course, I understand that the phrases can be interchangeable in some contexts, for example, both how about you? and what about you? are correct when asking about someone else after describing what I have been doing lately. My point, however, is that what about...? should not normally be used to suggest an activity, propose a solution to a problem, or invite someone to agree with an idea.

Two mandatory standardized exams in Poland, the Matura exam (the matriculation exam for high school graduates) and the Egzamin Ósmoklasisty (the eighth-grade exam for primary school graduates), prepared by the CKE, seem to disagree with me and suggest that there's no problem with using what about...? in contexts where I believe only how about...? should be used.

Below are three examples of tasks in which the exam writers expect the examinee to choose what about...? as the correct phrase. I've highlighted the correct answers, according to the answer keys, in green. I've also added my translation of the instruction in the last example in blue.

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This is from the Matura exam in 2024, page 16, task 9.1.

9.1. Why don’t we take part in the competition?
A. Why are we taking part in the competition?
B. What about taking part in the competition?
C. Which competition would you like to take part in?

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This is from the Matura exam in 2021, page 12, task 9.3.

9.3. It’s too late to call our boss now. (A może wyślijmy) _____ him an e-mail?
A. Did you send
B. Maybe we sent
C. What about sending

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This is from the Egzamin Ósmoklasisty in 2023, page 7, task 5.2.

5.2. Chcesz, żeby koleżanka poszła z Tobą na zakupy. Co jej powiesz? → You want your friend to go shopping with you. What will you say?
A. Will you do the shopping for me?
B. What about going to the shops together?
C. What would you like to get from the shop?

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The CKE seems to be very consistent about this. Are they right? Am I wrong?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, they ought to be 'how about', as you say.

 

[Alex Case]

I would say the meanings are the same but the formality is quite different, so when "What about...?" sounds wrong it is only because it sounds much too casual for the situation.

 

[Glizdka]

I would say the meanings are the same but[...]

So, are the CKE right about choosing these expressions as their model answers? Am I just being exceptionally picky, and this is not as big a deal as I seem to be making it?

 

[jutfrank]

They differ in meaning and use:

I think how about...? is primarily used to make suggestions or offers, and to ask for someone's opinion on a proposal. It effectively means why don't we...?, maybe we should...?, and shall we...?.

What about...?, on the other hand, is used to express concern or an objection because something important hasn't been considered. It effectively means don't forget about...!, you haven't mentioned...!, and think about...too!.

Exactly right.

You're not being unreasonably picky. In any case, you should be being picky in my opinion, since this is the Matura exam.

 

[Glizdka]

[...]since this is the Matura exam.

My point exactly. If I were taking the exam, I would be baffled. There's no correct choice. The other two choices are clearly incorrect, so it's "easy" to cross them out, but as for the intended correct choice, better doesn't mean good.