what does it taste

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "what does it taste" is not correct in English; it should be "what does it taste like." You can use it when asking for a description of the flavor of a food or drink.
Example: "I'm curious about the new dish you tried; what does it taste like?"

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

What does it taste like?

The New Yorker

So, what does it taste like?

The Washington Post

But the real question is: what does it taste like?

Independent

"What does it taste like in a sour?

The New York Times - Food

"What does it taste like?" asks a fellow diver.

The Washington Post

"People kept saying, 'You're teasing us here — what does it taste like?' " Mr. Pogue said.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

What does it taste… Christopher Marley grew up with dead parrots in his freezer.

The New Yorker

What's does it taste like?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

What does it actually taste like?

HuffPost

German Beer Style: Dunkel What The Hell Does It Taste Like?

Huffington Post

German Beer Style: Altbier What The Hell Does It Taste Like?

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking about taste, always use the grammatically correct form "what does it taste like" or "how does it taste".

Common error

Avoid omitting "like" when asking about the taste of something. Saying "what does it taste?" is grammatically incorrect. Instead, always include "like" for proper grammar.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what does it taste" is primarily used as an interrogative phrase to inquire about the sensory experience of flavor. It seeks a description of how something tastes. Ludwig AI indicates that the grammatically correct form is "what does it taste like."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

12%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The query "what does it taste" is a common way to ask about the flavor of something, but it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests the correct phrasing is "what does it taste like" or "how does it taste". Despite the grammatical issue, the phrase appears frequently in news and media, showing its common usage. To ensure clarity and correctness, it's best to use the complete, grammatically sound versions of the question. The most authoritative sources using this phrase are The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and HuffPost.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what does it taste like

Adds 'like' to correct the grammatical structure, making it a complete and standard question.

how does it taste

Rephrases the question to focus on the sensory experience, using a more direct and grammatically sound structure.

what is the taste like

Emphasizes the description of the taste, shifting the focus slightly from the action of tasting to the quality of the taste.

can you describe the taste

Asks for a description of the taste, making it a polite and informative request.

what flavor does it have

Focuses on the specific flavor profile, suitable for discussions about food and beverages.

what are the flavor notes

More specific, usually applied to beverages like wine or coffee, seeking nuanced flavor details.

what does it remind you of

Asks for associations the taste evokes, useful for describing complex or unfamiliar flavors.

is it sweet, sour, bitter, or salty

Offers basic taste categories, helpful for quick and simple descriptions.

what is the predominant flavor

Seeks the main or most noticeable flavor, useful when multiple flavors are present.

how would you characterize the flavor

Requests a comprehensive and detailed description of the flavor.

FAQs

How to correctly ask about the flavor of something?

The grammatically correct way to inquire about the flavor is to ask "what does it taste like?" or "how does it taste?". The phrase "what does it taste?" is considered incorrect.

What can I say instead of "what does it taste"?

You can use alternatives like "what does it taste like" or "how does it taste" to inquire about flavor.

Which is correct, "what does it taste" or "what does it taste like"?

The correct phrase is "what does it taste like?". The phrase "what does it taste" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "what does it taste" and "how does it taste"?

"What does it taste like" and "how does it taste" are both grammatically correct ways to ask about the flavor of something. "What does it taste" is grammatically incorrect. The two correct options are interchangeable in most contexts.