I want you to...
Subject + want + noun + to + present form verb phrase
I want you to take this medicine twice a day.
Explain
Subject + want + noun + to + present form verb phrase
The subject wants the noun to do an action.
​
It is a command.
I want you to eat it all.
The mother wants the baby to eat dinner.
We can say it from the position of the baby.
My mum wants me to eat it all.
The subject does not change (mum) but what she is called does depending on who say is it.
The father wants the child to wash their hands.
I want you to wash your hands.
My dad wants me to wash my hands.
The fishermen want the weather to get better.
We want the weather to get better.
Doctor
Vocabulary - Nouns
Vocabulary - Verbs
Examples
NOTE: It is 'an' x-ray because when you say 'x' it is this phonetically /ex/ and so has the 'n' for 'an'.
I want you to go for an x-ray.
x-ray / for / go / you
My doctor wants me to go for an x-ray.
x-ray / for / go / me
I want you to take this medicine.
take / this medicine
My doctor wants me to take this medicine.
take / this medicine
I want you to perform this exercise.
Answer
perform / this exercise
My doctor wants me to perform this exercise.
Answer
perform / this exercise
I want you to stop smoking.
Answer
stop / smoking
My doctor wants me to stop smoking.
Answer
stop / smoking
Frequency chunks
We can command how often we want something to happen.
-
I want you to take this medicine.
-
I want you to take this medicine three times a day.
​
-
I want you to perform this exercise.
-
I want you to perform this exercise twice a week.
​
-
I want you to stop smoking.
-
I want you to stop smoking every day.
Commanding
The strongest command is the 'imperative form'. That is using the verb at the beginning.
​
-
Go and get an x-ray.
-
Take this medicine three times a day.
-
Perform this exercise twice a week.
-
Stop smoking every day.
A softer command is to change 'want' to 'would like'.
​
-
I would like you to and get an x-ray.
-
I would like you to take this medicine three times a day.
-
My doctor would like me to perform this exercise twice a week.
-
I would like you to stop smoking every day.
​
This is actually a request, but if it comes from someone more senior (like a doctor) it's like a command.
You can also soften the command by changing 'want' to 'need'. Remember that 'need' means 'it would be good if you did'.
​
-
I need you to and get an x-ray.
-
I need you to take this medicine three times a day.
-
My doctor needs me to perform this exercise twice a week.
-
I need you to stop smoking every day.
Using 'stop'
Use all four 'commands' to tell someone / something to stop.
Stop smoking.
​
I want you to stop smoking.
​
I need you to stop smoking.
​
I would like you to stop smoking.
playing loudly
Stop playing loudly.
Answer
I want you to stop playing loudly.
Answer
I need you to stop playing loudly.
Answer
I would like you to stop playing loudly.
Answer
Naturally we could (and I would) say 'playing so loudly'. This means that they can continue playing loudly but not as loudly as they had been.
​
Stop eating so much = don't stop eating but eat less than you are.
Stop talking so quickly = don't stop talking but speak slower than you are.
Stop splashing
Answer
I want you to stop splashing.
Answer
I need you to stop splashing.
Answer
I would like you to stop splashing.
Answer
splashing