want
verbTo wish for something or feel that you need it.
verbTo need something that you do not have.
nounA strong wish to have or do something.
nounThe state of not having enough money or things to live on.
"want" does not follow standard phonics patterns and should be memorized.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter W
The letter W makes the /w/ sound, like in 'win', 'wet', and 'web'. The lips round into an O shape.
W is a voiced bilabial approximant — the lips round tightly then open as voice flows. W is sometimes silent (write, wrong) and can act as a vowel in some combinations (aw, ew, ow).
Tip
W rounds your lips — make an O then say /w/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: W changes A to /ɑ/
After W, a single A often says /ɑ/ (like 'o' in 'hot') instead of short /æ/ — like in 'want' and 'wash'.
W changes the sound of A: instead of short /æ/ (cat), A after W says /ɑ/: want, wash, watch, swan, squad, squat.
Tip
W changes A — want, wash, watch!
Examples
Phonics Rule: NT End Blend
NT at the end of a syllable blends /n/ and /t/ together, like in 'tent', 'mint', and 'want'.
NT is a very common end blend. The nasal /n/ flows into the stop /t/. In fast speech the /t/ is sometimes barely voiced, but both sounds are present.
Tip
NT tents up at the end — tent, mint, hunt!
Examples
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