Quick Answer Please: I want them aspiring to be...

[Sweetpumpkin]

Hello,

While I listen to Obama's NAACP address, I got curious about... the usage of want.

He says,

[Alan]

Hi SP,

An interesting observation. I would suggest that what he means is, as you say, 'I want them to aspire/to be inspiring ..' In either case aspiring' is a participial form. You have to accept that President Obama is a very accomplished public speaker and by omitting 'to/to be', his message of what he wants these people to do becomes more dramatic effective.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Phrasal Verbs/hold