Level: Low Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Songs:
“Something Just Like This” (The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, 2017
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” (The Beatles, 1963)
“Brave” (Sara Bareilles, 2013)
Recommended Videos:
“Something Like This”: the official lyric video
“I Want to Hold Your Hand”: the official video (a TV performance); the Beatles’ audio-only video; Himesh Patel’s performance from the 2019 movie Yesterday
“Brave”: the official video 

These songs repeat the contraction wanna—a pronunciation of want to that is rarely included in grammar books or practiced in the classroom but is common in informal spoken English. The interactive exercise below gives students practice using the contraction in short dialogs with a friend. Permission is granted to reproduce the activity for classroom use. (This activity, though simple, is not recommended for beginning levels; students should be rock-solid in the use of want to before trying this pronunciation.) You’ll find more lesson plan ideas for the song “Something Like This” in the Lesson Plan.

wanna for want to.docx          wanna for want to.pdf         wanna for want to (webpage)

Preview:

PRONOUNCING WANT TO AS WANNA

A. Read the two conversations under the photo.

1. Formal English:
Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go home. I want to take a nap.
2. Informal English:
Person 1: Where do you wanna go?
Person 2: I wanna go home. I wanna take a nap.

B. Complete the sentences below. (There are many possible ways to complete the sentences.)

1. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to the grocery store. I want to buy _____________________.
2. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to the mall. I want to buy __________________________.
3. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to the park. I want to __________________________.
4. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to the post office. I want to __________________________.
5. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to the bank. I want to __________________________.
6. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go home. I want to __________________________.
7. Person 1: Where do you want to go?
Person 2: I want to go to ___________________ (a place in your city). I want to ____________________.

C. Read the questions and answers aloud with a partner. Practice pronouncing want to as wanna. (Remember: You can use wanna when speaking with family and friends, but not when writing.)

Copyright © 2017 Sandra Heyer. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Image: Copyright © Ngo Thye Aun | Dreamstime. Reprinted with permission.