What’s the difference between a recommendation and a suggestion?
Favorite Answer
A suggestion may pass its message in any form, active or passive.
A liveless statue can suggest but not recommend.
“The blue sky and bright sunlight is suggesting that we go for a swim.”
Of course, a poetic attempt might be
“The blue sky and bright sunlight is recommending that we go for a swim.”
However, that does not sound right and that makes very poor poetry.
Therefore, you could pass a message by the virtue of being rather than doing as in,
“The dress she is wearing is very suggestive.”
On the other hand, you would be barely understood if you said,
“The dress she is wearing is very recommending.”
Recommendation has an official air to it. When you write a report to resolve a problem in an official capacity, you would not suggest measures be taken. Rather, you recommend measures be taken.
Suggesting also has a detached atmosphere between the messenger and the receiver. Therefore, it is often used by teachers to talk down students.
“I suggest you stay home and finish your homework.” The teacher told the delinquent student.
Whereas, recommending involves personal relationship between the messenger and receiver.
“I am recommending to your parents to have you stay home to finish your home work.”
A suggestion is a piece of advice or persuasion formulated as a suggestion
they are actually synonyms, so in effect the difference is preference or semantics.
Personally, I see recommendation as a more formal suggestion
Strike that — a recommendation can be made for a person, such as a doctor or mechanic as a commendation of that person — “putting in a good word for” that person. A suggestion leans more toward advice to make changes in personal choices or behaviors, is less commanding and more of an insinuation.
I would hear a difference between
Suggestion: here’s an idea. You should weigh it up.
Recommendation: here’s an idea. I’ve weighed it up and I think it’s good.
With a more neutral suggestion, you’re more going to have to decide what you think of the idea.
With the recommendation, you’re more going to have to decide whether you trust the proposer’s judgement.
I suggest you go to bed, and I reccomend that you go to bed, both mean the same thing. However, as you may see, suggest works better in this sentence. That is what synonymes are for.