Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Negative don’t you want, wouldn’t you like and won’t you have

418f

The negative forms, don’t you want, wouldn’t you like and won’t you have also occur

in the context of offering things, but far less frequently than their affirmative forms.

They occur mostly when the speaker thinks the listener does not want something or

may be holding back (perhaps out of politeness) from accepting something:

[at the dinner table; speaker A is the hostess, B is a guest]

A: Want some water? 

Don’t you want any bread?

B: No, thanks.

Won’t you have

also occurs in more formal contexts to make polite offers, again

particularly in contexts of food and drink:

An hour later, one of the veterans brought in a simmering samovar and a

teapot. ‘Maksim Maksimych,’ I called from the window, 

‘

won’t you have some

tea?’ 

‘Thanks, I don’t want any particularly’.