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The_gripmaster Posted 15 years ago
Essay & Composition Writing
You want to eat it vs Eat it
What is the difference between
"You want to eat it"
and
"Eat it"
What I understand is the first sentence is a choice the speaker is offering the listener, it's more like a question. While the second sentence is a weak command or instruction ("Eat it!" is a definite command).
What do you people think?
"You want to eat it"
and
"Eat it"
What I understand is the first sentence is a choice the speaker is offering the listener, it's more like a question. While the second sentence is a weak command or instruction ("Eat it!" is a definite command).
What do you people think?
Top answer
Hello, Gripmaster - and welcome to English Forums. I wish that posters would choose more normal, everyday examples when they ask questions. Yours are quite odd, and both seem to be some sort of obscene insults or challenges.
- Hello, Gripmaster - and welcome to English Forums.
- I wish that posters would choose more normal, everyday examples when they ask questions.
- Yours are quite odd, and both seem to be some sort of obscene insults or challenges.
- '), but unless I am to simply distinguish between 'do' and 'want to do', then please post some more realistic sentences, ones that provide a bit of context.
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7 Answers
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Hello, Gripmaster - and welcome to English Forums.
I wish that posters would choose more normal, everyday examples when they ask questions. Yours are quite odd, and both seem to be some sort of obscene insults or challenges. The first one has no resemblance whatsoever to offering a choice, which would be a question ('Do you want A or B?'), but unless I am to simply distinguish between '
I wish that posters would choose more normal, everyday examples when they ask questions. Yours are quite odd, and both seem to be some sort of obscene insults or challenges. The first one has no resemblance whatsoever to offering a choice, which would be a question ('Do you want A or B?'), but unless I am to simply distinguish between '
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Sorry if it does not seem like a normal question to you, but it does to me. After coming to Australia, I have encountered many sentences like this, with the word "want" dropped in the middle of a sentence.
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So please give us a few more sentences so we can figure out what bothers you.
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the_gripmasterWhat is the difference betweenThe first o
"You want to eat it"
and
"Eat it"
What I understand is the first sentence is a choice the speaker is offering the listener, it's more like a question. While the second sentence is a weak command or instruction ("Eat it!" is a definite command).
What do you people think?
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Hello Mister Micawber,
You asked for an example and I have found one, from a native English speaker.
Watch this http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/dumbbell-bench-press
Listen to the audio after the 50th second: "...instead, you want t
You asked for an example and I have found one, from a native English speaker.
Watch this http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/dumbbell-bench-press
Listen to the audio after the 50th second: "...instead, you want t
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Aha!
'You want to + verb' is a reasonably common informal expression when giving instructions. You're right, it is not necessary; it could be omitted. Its meaning is 'the correct/productive/efficacious thing to do is + verb', so it adds a note of propriety plus 'want' suggests that it is in the listener's interest to do whatever.
Thanks for bringing that idiom up; I hadn't real
'You want to + verb' is a reasonably common informal expression when giving instructions. You're right, it is not necessary; it could be omitted. Its meaning is 'the correct/productive/efficacious thing to do is + verb', so it adds a note of propriety plus 'want' suggests that it is in the listener's interest to do whatever.
Thanks for bringing that idiom up; I hadn't real
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Thanks for the explanation. It was one of those things which felt like it's itching somewhere on my body but don't know where to scratch.
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