Grammar: Sentences with “need” and “want”

Which English verbs do you know? Verbs are the spirit of a language. They communicate simple and abstract actions. “Run,” “speak,” and “sleep” are action verbs. In English, the verb has a specific position in a sentence. It comes after the subject. The subject is a noun, like “teacher,” “student,” or “car.” Look at this simple sentence grammar.

 

 

Subject	Verb
The teacher	speaks
The dog	runs
I	study

 

Today, we will look at two common verbs: “need” and “want.” You need something. It is necessary. For example, we need food and water to live. When you want something, it is not necessary, but it is nice to have. You can want a Porsche or a nice meal. The verb “need” is more intense and imperative than the verb “want.”

We can add more information to a sentence with “need” or “want.” We can add a noun, like “sandwich” or “dog.” We can also add an infinitive verb. An infinitive verb begins with “to.” The verb phrases “to run” or “to speak” are infinitive verbs. So, a more complex sentence has three parts. Look at the examples.

 

 

Subject	Verb	Noun
I	want	a sandwich.
They	need	water.

 

Subject	Verb	Infinitive
She	wants	to sleep.
I	need	to study.

 

Now, you can describe what you want and what you need. What do you need to do today? What do you want to eat today?

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