to be

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Please help me with these!

[1] Are these all correct?
1. I don't want this is going to be [an issue, a problem] between us.
2. I don't want this to be [an issue, a problem] between us.
3. I don't want this [an issue, a problem] between us.

[2] Would you please help me about omitting 'to be'?
1. I want you [to be] finished within ten minutes. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
2. I want this [to be] finished within ten minutes. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
3. Are you free this Friday? I'm having a party, and I want you [to be] there. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
4. Deliver the (kitchen) utensils to me by Friday. I'm having a party, and I want them [to be] there. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
5. I didn't want you [to be] disappointed with me. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
6. I didn't want this [to be] finished this way. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
7. I want you [to be] proud of yourself. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
8. I want you [to be] there by 4 o'clock. [We can't omit 'to be', right?]

Thanks a million.
Ann

[Pete]

[1] Are these all correct?
1. I don't want this is going to be [an issue, a problem] between us. [No.]
2. I don't want this to be [an issue, a problem] between us. [Ok.]
3. I don't want this [an issue, a problem] between us. [Correct, but I think #2 would be much more common.]

[2] Would you please help me about omitting 'to be'? [See my comments at the end.]
1. I want you [to be] finished within ten minutes. [Both are OK. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
2. I want this [to be] finished within ten minutes. [Both are OK. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
3. Are you free this Friday? I'm having a party, and I want you [to be] there. [Both are OK. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
4. Deliver the (kitchen) utensils to me by Friday. I'm having a party, and I want them [to be] there. [Both are OK. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
5. I didn't want you [to be] disappointed with me. [Both are OK. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
6. I didn't want this [to be] finished this way. [Both are OK. Omitting 'to be' is much more common, right?]
7. I want you [to be] proud of yourself. [Both are OK. Using 'to be' is much more common, right?]
8. I want you [to be] there by 4 o'clock. [We can't omit 'to be', right?]

-- All of the sentences are ok. I think I agree with your suggestions that when the word in question is a person, it is probably more common to use "to be" before the complement. In the other sentences, where the word with the following complement is a thing, not a person, I think both forms sound about equally natural and common. I don't know a "rule" about this (nor have I seen statistical studies on large amounts of text), but that is how it seems to me. There are cases where the written form is more common one way, but the spoken form tends to be the other way; I don't know if that might apply here or not.