Unit 48. I want you to …/ I told you to …

The woman wants to go.

The man doesn't want the woman to go.
He wants her to stay.

(I) want to …

(I) want (somebody) to …

We say I want (you) to …:

- I want you to be happy. (not ‘I want that you are happy.’)
- They didn't want anybody to know their secret.

We also use this structure (verb + somebody + to …) with:

tell
ask
advise
persuade
expect
teach

I
She
What do you
We
I didn't
I

told
asked
advise
persuaded
expect
taught

you
her friend
me
George
you
my brother

to be
to help
to do?
to come
to be
to swim.

careful.
her.

with us.
here.

I told (somebody) to … /I told (somebody) not to …:

- Tom said (to Ann): ‘Wait for me!’ -> Tom told Ann to wait for him.
Tom said (to Ann): ‘Don't wait for me.’ -> Tom told Ann not to wait for him.

make and let

After make and let we do not use to:
- He's very funny. He makes us laugh. (not ‘makes us to laugh’)
- I don't want you to go alone. Let me go with you. (not ‘Let me to go’)

Let's (do something)
You can say Let's … (= let us) when you want people to do things with you:
- Come on! Let's dance!
- ‘Shall we go out tonight?’ ‘No, I'm tired. Let's stay at home.’

help

You can say help somebody do or help somebody to do:
- Tom helped me carry the box. or Tom helped me to carry the box.

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