We use imperative clauseswhen we want to tell someone to do something (most commonly for advice, suggestions, requests, commands, orders or instructions).
We can use them to tell people to do or not to do things. They usually don’t have a subject – they are addressed to the listener or listeners, who the speaker understands to be the subject. We use the base form of the verb:
Havefun.
Enjoyyour meal.
Stoptalking andopenyour books.
Don’t belate.
We use the imperative carefully. It is a very direct form and we don’t generally use it to make requests or commands or to give instructions.
We can usejust,pleaseorif you wouldn’t mindto make an imperative sound less direct:
Open the window a little more,please, if you wouldn’t mind.
Not:Open the window. (too direct)
[Two friends]
A:Ann, are you ready?
B:Justgive me a minute,please.
See also:
Commands and instructions
Requests
Imperatives with subject pronouns
For emphasis, we can useyouin an imperative clause:
[a student and a teacher]
A:Can I leave the room?
B:No.You stayhere.
In negative imperatives of this type,youcomes afterdon’t:
Maria,don’t you tryto pay for this. I invited you for lunch and I insist on paying.
Be careful when using subject pronouns in imperative clauses, as they can sound very direct.
We can also use words likesomeone,somebody, no one,nobody, everyone,everybody, especially in speaking:
Somebody calla doctor. Quick!
Everybody sitdown, please.
Imperatives withdo
When we use the emphaticdoauxiliary, it makes an imperative sound more polite and more formal:
[at the beginning of a meal]
Do start.(formal)
Do sitdown and make yourself comfortable.
We can use emphaticdoin short answers without a main verb:
A:Can I use your phone to call a taxi?
B:Do,of course, by all means. It’s there on the desk.
Imperatives withlet(let’s)
We useletto form first person and third person imperatives.
First person
Let mesee. What should I do?
Let’sstart at nine-thirty tomorrow, please. Okay?
In more formal contexts, we use the full formlet us:
[at the beginning of a meeting]
Let usbegin by welcoming our new members.
We can use emphaticdowithlet’sin formal contexts:
Do let’stry to be more environmentally friendly.
Very often we uselet’s(let us) when we are referring to the first person singular (me):
I can’t find my keys.Let’ssee, where did I last have them?(orLet mesee, …)
We can uselet’son its own in short responses, meaning ‘yes’, when we respond to a suggestion:
A:Shall we stop now and have a coffee break?
B:Let’s.
Third person
Third person imperatives are not common; they are formed withlet + him/her/itor a noun phrase:
[B is joking]
A:How will Patrick know which house is ours?
B:Lethimknock on all the doors until he finds ours!
See also:
Let,let’s
Negative imperatives
To make negative imperatives, we use the auxiliarydo+not+ the infinitive withoutto. The full formdo not, is rather formal. In speaking, we usually usedon’t:
[a public notice]
Do not usethe lift in the event of fire.
Don’t tellanyone that I was here.
We can usedon’ton its own in short responses:
A:Shall I show everyone the old photo of you?
B:No,don’t.It’s terrible!
Negative imperatives with subject pronoun
We can use emphatic pronounyouoranyone/anybodyafterdon’tin negative imperatives, especially in informal speaking:
Don’t youworry. Everything will be okay.
It’s a surprise party sodon’t anybodymention it to Jim.
Negative imperative oflet’s
We often use the phraselet’s not:
Let’s notforget to lock the door!
We sometimes usedon’t let’sin more formal contexts:
Don’t let’smention anything about her husband. I think they’ve split up.
Question tags commonly used after imperatives
We sometimes use question tags with imperatives. They make the imperative less direct:
Turn on the light,will you?
Ask him,can you?
Won’t you?adds more emphasis to the imperative:
Write to me,won’t you?
The tag after a negative imperative is normallywill you:
Don’t tell anyone,will you?
See also:
Tags
Imperatives as offers and invitations
We can use imperatives to make offers and invitations:
Haveanother piece of melon.
Pleasestayanother night. You know you’ll be most welcome.
Go on! Cometo the match with us tonight.
Don’t beafraid to ask if you want anything.
See also:
Clauses
Offers
Invitations