want
verb /wɒnt/
/wɑːnt/
not usually used in the progressive tensesVerb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they want | /wɒnt/ /wɑːnt/ |
| he / she / it wants | /wɒnts/ /wɑːnts/ |
| past simple wanted | /ˈwɒntɪd/ /ˈwɑːntɪd/ |
| past participle wanted | /ˈwɒntɪd/ /ˈwɑːntɪd/ |
| -ing form wanting | /ˈwɒntɪŋ/ /ˈwɑːntɪŋ/ |
- to have a desire or a wish for something/somebody
- want somebody/something Do you want some more tea?
- to want children/kids
- to want peace/war/change
- Voters want answers to these questions,
- If you want more information, visit the website.
- The US wants access to Chinese markets.
- The voters seem to want a reason to vote for him.
- She's always wanted a large family.
- If you want some help, just ask.
- I want a new job.
- All I want is the truth.
- Thanks for the present—it's just what I wanted.
- I can do whatever I want.
- The last thing I wanted was to upset you.
- want something for something What do you want for Christmas?
- I wanted bacon and eggs for breakfast.
- want somebody/something as something The party wants her as leader.
- want to do something What do you want to do tomorrow?
- What I really want to know is why you would even think that?
- ‘It's time you did your homework.’ ‘I don't want to!’
- I just wanted to know if everything was all right.
- (informal) You can come too, if you want.
- We could see a movie later if you want to.
- There are two points which I wanted to make.
- I wanted to go home.
- I simply wanted to be left in peace.
- She desperately wanted to believe him.
- These are books that children actually want to read.
- want somebody/something to do something Do you want me to help?
- I want people to know what I've done.
- We didn't want this to happen.
- I want it (to be) done as quickly as possible. Notice that you cannot say ‘want that…’: I want that you do it quickly. When the infinitive is used after want, it must have to: I want study in America.
- want somebody/something doing something I don't want you coming home so late.
- want somebody/something + adj. Do you want your coffee black or white?
- It was clear that somebody wanted him dead.
- want somebody/something done They want him arrested.
- want something from somebody/something What do you want from me?
- want something out of something I had to discover what I really wanted out of life.
Grammar Point want / like / love / hate / thinkwant / like / love / hate / think- These verbs belong to a group known as stative verbs because they describe a state rather than an action (although think can describe either an action or a state). Stative verbs are not usually used in the progressive tenses. However, it is becoming more common for some stative verbs to be used with progressive tenses. Stative verbs such as want, like, love, hate and think are sometimes used in informal language to describe a state at a particular moment, or a state that continues for a period of time:
- Why are you wanting a new phone when your current one works perfectly well?
- What shall we do tonight? I’m thinking bowling.
- I’m loving the weather today!
More About offers and invitationsoffers and invitations- Would you like…? is the most usual polite question form for offers and invitations, especially in British English:
- Would you like a cup of coffee?
- Do you want…? is less formal and more direct. It is more common in North American English than in British English:
- We’re going to a club tonight. Do you want to come with us?
- Would you care…? is very formal and now sounds old-fashioned.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by infinitivesVerbs usually followed by infinitives- afford
- agree
- appear
- arrange
- attempt
- beg
- choose
- consent
- decide
- expect
- fail
- happen
- hesitate
- hope
- intend
- learn
- manage
- mean
- neglect
- offer
- prepare
- pretend
- promise
- refuse
- swear
- try
- want
- wish
Extra Examples- I just want you to be happy.
- If you truly want to help, just do as I say.
- I want to study in America.
- I want you to do it quickly.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- badly
- desperately
- really
- …
- all you want
- exactly what you want
- just what you want
- …
- (informal) to need something
- want something We'll want more furniture for the new office.
- What this house wants is a good clean.
- It wants a special sort of person for that job.
- want doing something The plants want watering daily.
- want to be something The cake mixture wants to be smooth and light.
- want to be/have something done The plants want to be watered daily.
- [usually passive] want somebody (+ adv./prep.) to need somebody to be present in the place or for the purpose mentioned
- She's wanted immediately in the director's office.
- Excuse me, you're wanted on the phone.
- want to do something (informal) used to give advice to somebody, meaning ‘should’ or ‘ought to’
- If possible, you want to avoid alcohol.
- He wants to be more careful.
- You don't want to do it like that.
- want somebody to feel sexual desire for somebody
- ‘I want you so much,’ she whispered in his ear.
- Alice, please don't leave me. I want you. I need you. I can't live without you.
- want something (formal) to lack something synonym be short of
- He doesn't want courage.
wish
need
should/ought to
feel sexual desire
lack
Word OriginMiddle English: the noun from Old Norse vant, neuter of vanr ‘lacking’; the verb from Old Norse vanta ‘be lacking’. The original notion of “lack” was early extended to “need” and from this developed the sense ‘desire’.
Idioms
have/want it both ways
- to have or want to have the advantages of two different situations or ways of behaving that are impossible to combine
- You can't have it both ways. If you can afford to go out all the time, you can afford to pay off some of your debts.
have/want none of something
- to refuse to accept something
- I offered to pay but he was having none of it.
- They pretended to be enthusiastic about my work but then suddenly decided they wanted none of it.
have/want no truck with somebody/something
- (formal) to refuse to deal with somebody; to refuse to accept or consider something
- We in this party will have no truck with illegal organizations.
- Dave wants no truck with change. For him, things are just fine as they are.
not want to know (about something)
- (informal) to take no interest in something because you do not care about it or it is too much trouble
- I've tried to ask her advice, but she doesn't want to know (= about my problems).
- ‘How much was it?’ ‘You don't want to know’ (= it is better if you don't know).
want rid of somebody/something
- (British English, informal) to want to be free of somebody/something that has been annoying you or that you do not want
- Are you trying to say you want rid of me?
waste not, want not
- (saying) if you never waste anything, especially food or money, you will always have it when you need it
what do you want?
- used to ask somebody in a rude or angry way why they are there or what they want you to do