Anyone Who Want vs. Anyone Who Wants – Which is Correct?
In the phrase “anyone who want or wants,” the correct form is “anyone who wants.” “Anyone” is a singular indefinite pronoun, so the relative clause uses the singular verb “wants.” Use “want” with plural subjects such as “people who want.” The key is subject-verb agreement inside the relative clause itself.
Anyone Who Want or Wants: Which Is Correct?
“Anyone who wants” is correct. The pronoun anyone is grammatically singular, even though it refers to an unspecified person. Therefore, the verb in the relative clause beginning with who must be the singular form wants.
For example, write: Anyone who wants to participate should register. Do not write: Anyone who want to participate should register.
However, want is also a correct English word when its subject is plural or when the subject is I or you. Compare anyone who wants with people who want.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the he or they test. Replace anyone with he: He wants to help, so write anyone who wants to help. If you replace the subject with they or people, use want: They want to help and people who want to help.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| want | Verb | To desire, need, or wish for something | People who want tickets should apply early. |
| wants | Third-person singular verb | Desires, needs, or wishes for something | Anyone who wants tickets should apply early. |
How to Use Want
Want is the base form of the verb. Use it with the subjects I, you, we, and they, as well as with plural nouns. It expresses a desire, intention, requirement, or need. The word is common in both casual and formal English, although phrases such as would like may sound more polite in professional situations.
Example 1: I want to improve my writing skills.
Example 2: You want to check the instructions before beginning.
Example 3: Employees who want flexible hours must submit a request.
What Are the Different Forms of Want?
Want is a regular verb. Its third-person singular present-tense form is wants, its simple past and past participle are wanted, and its present participle or gerund is wanting.
- Base form: want — They want more information.
- Third-person singular: wants — She wants more information.
- Past tense: wanted — She wanted more information.
- Present participle: wanting — She is wanting more information. This form is grammatically possible but is less natural than she wants more information in many contexts.
Etymology of the Word Want
Want comes from Middle English wanten, which developed from a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse vanta, meaning “to lack” or “be deficient.” Over time, the word acquired its modern meanings involving lack, need, and desire.
How to Use Wants
Wants is the third-person singular present-tense form of want. Use it with he, she, it, singular nouns, and singular indefinite pronouns such as anyone, someone, and everyone.
In the phrase anyone who wants, the word who refers back to the singular antecedent anyone. That is why the verb takes the singular ending -s.
Example 1: Anyone who wants to attend the workshop must register.
Example 2: She wants a clear explanation of the policy.
Example 3: Every applicant who wants an interview should respond by Friday.
What Are the Different Forms of Wants?
Wants is not a separate verb with its own complete tense system; it is one form of the regular verb want. It is used only for the third-person singular subject in the simple present tense. The other forms are want, wanted, and wanting.
- Present tense with a singular subject: He wants to leave.
- Present tense with a plural subject: They want to leave.
- Past tense: He wanted to leave.
- Continuous form: He is wanting to leave, although he wants to leave is usually more natural.
Etymology of the Word Wants
Wants is formed by adding the regular third-person singular present-tense ending -s to want. The underlying verb comes from Middle English wanten, ultimately connected with Old Norse vocabulary expressing lack or need.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and relative clauses makes the difference between want and wants much easier to recognize.
- Subject-verb agreement: A singular subject normally takes a singular present-tense verb, such as anyone wants or she wants. A plural subject takes the base form, such as people want.
- Indefinite pronouns: Words such as anyone, someone, everyone, and nobody are grammatically singular and usually require singular verbs.
- Relative clauses: A clause introduced by who, which, or that gives more information about a noun or pronoun. In anyone who wants to apply, the clause is who wants to apply.
- Third-person singular verbs: In the simple present tense, regular verbs commonly add -s or -es with he, she, and it.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following real-world-style examples show how the correct form changes according to the subject. They reflect the kinds of constructions commonly found in fiction, journalism, film dialogue, and public announcements.
- Film dialogue: “Anyone who wants to join the expedition should meet outside at dawn.” The singular pronoun anyone requires wants.
- News reporting: “Anyone who wants to submit public comments may do so before the deadline.” This formal announcement uses the standard singular form.
- Literary narration: “Anyone who wants to understand the family must learn its history.” The verb agrees with anyone, not with the nearby plural noun family members that might appear elsewhere in the sentence.
- Public instructions: “Anyone who wants a refund must keep the original receipt.” This construction is common in policies and customer-service notices.
- Contrast with a plural subject: “Readers who want more background can consult the author’s notes.” Here, readers is plural, so the correct form is want.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.
- Anyone who ___ to volunteer should contact the coordinator. (want/wants)
- Students who ___ extra practice can use the online exercises. (want/wants)
- Someone who ___ to enter must show identification. (want/wants)
- We ___ to finish the project before Friday. (want/wants)
- Every employee who ___ to work remotely must complete the form. (want/wants)
Answer Key
- wants — Anyone is singular.
- want — Students is plural.
- wants — Someone is singular.
- want — We takes the base form.
- wants — Every employee is singular.
Want Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| desire | To strongly wish for something |
| wish | To hope for or feel a desire for something |
| need | To require something essential or necessary |
| seek | To try to obtain or find something |
| prefer | To like one option better than another |
Wants Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| desires | Has a strong wish for something |
| wishes | Hopes for or feels a desire for something |
| needs | Requires something necessary |
| seeks | Tries to obtain or find something |
| prefers | Likes one option more than another |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “anyone who want” grammatically correct?
No. In standard English, the correct phrase is anyone who wants because anyone is singular.
Question 2: Why does “anyone who wants” use a singular verb?
The verb in the relative clause agrees with the antecedent of who. Because who refers to singular anyone, the verb must be wants.
Question 3: When should I use “people who want” instead?
Use people who want when the subject is plural. For example: People who want to attend should register.
Conclusion
The correct phrase is “anyone who wants”. Although anyone refers to an unspecified person, it is grammatically singular and therefore takes wants. Use want with plural subjects, such as people, students, or readers. Pro Tip: Correct subject-verb agreement strengthens your professional reputation by making your writing appear polished, precise, and trustworthy.
