Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Weak warnings
Weak warnings are similar to advice.
We can use a number of phrases:
I wouldn’t swim there if I were you.
I don’t think you should drink the water here.
I don’t think you ought to say no to the job offer. (more formal)
A word of warning, there are snakes on the trails. (Be careful)
Strong warnings
We usually use don’t in strong warnings:
Don’t cross the road when the pedestrian light is red.
Don’t try to open the door when the train is moving.
Whatever you do, don’t take a lift from an unofficial taxi driver.
Sometimes we say I warn you or I must warn you:
It’s a wonderful restaurant but, I warn you, it isn’t cheap.
I must warn you it gets very cold at night in the mountains. Make sure to bring some warm clothes.
Public warning notices
We often use beware of, caution, warning and danger in public warning notices:
Beware of the dog.
Caution: Wet floor.
Warning: this building site is private property.
[near a river where it is dangerous to swim]
Danger: Strong currents.