Used to introduce a hypothetical idea or possibility as a way of proposing a solution.
“What if we split the cost between the two departments?”
“What if we asked him to reschedule instead of canceling?”
In Listening Part 1, 'what if' often opens a tentative, exploratory suggestion rather than a firm decision, so pay attention to whether the other speaker accepts, modifies, or rejects it. Multiple 'what if' suggestions are common in a row, so note the order they're mentioned to correctly answer sequence-based questions.
Synonyms: suppose, how about if, what would happen if