Imperative Clauses

Imperative clauses (Be quiet!
)
We use imperative clauses when 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:
Have fun.
Enjoy your meal.
Stop talking and open your books.
Don’t be late.
Warning:
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 use just, please or if you wouldn’t mind to 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:
Just give me a minute, please.
Imperatives with subject pronouns

For emphasis, we can use you in an imperative clause:
[a student and a teacher]
A:
Can I leave the room?
B:
No. You stay here.
In negative imperatives of this type, you comes after don’t:
Maria, don’t you try to pay for this. I invited you for lunch and I insist on paying.
1
Warning:
Be careful when using subject pronouns in imperative clauses, as they can sound very
direct.
We can also use words like someone, somebody, no one, nobody, everyone, everybody,
especially in speaking:
Somebody call a doctor. Quick!
Everybody sit down, please.
Imperatives with do
Warning:
When we use the emphatic do auxiliary, it makes an imperative sound more polite and
more formal:
[at the beginning of a meal]
Do start. (formal)
Do sit down and make yourself comfortable.

We can use emphatic do in 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 with let (let’s)

We use let to form first person and third person imperatives.
First person
Let me see. What should I do?
Let’s start at nine-thirty tomorrow, please. Okay?
Warning:
In more formal contexts, we use the full form let us:
[at the beginning of a meeting]
Let us begin by welcoming our new members.
2
We can use emphatic do with let’s in formal contexts:
Do let’s try to be more environmentally friendly.
Very often we use let’s (let us) when we are referring to the first person singular (me):
I can’t find my keys. Let’s see, where did I last have them? (or Let me see, …)
We can use let’s on 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 with let + him/her/it or a noun
phrase:
[B is joking]
A:
How will Patrick know which house is ours?
B:
Let him knock on all the doors until he finds ours!
See also:
 Let, let’s
Negative imperatives
To make negative imperatives, we use the auxiliary do + not + the infinitive without to. The
full form do not, is rather formal. In speaking, we usually use don’t:
[a public notice]
Do not use the lift in the event of fire.
Don’t tell anyone that I was here.
We can use don’t on its own in short responses:
A:
Shall I show everyone the old photo of you?
B:
No, don’t. It’s terrible!
3
Negative imperatives with subject pronoun
We can use emphatic pronoun you or anyone/anybody after don’t in negative imperatives,
especially in informal speaking:
Don’t you worry. Everything will be okay.
It’s a surprise party so don’t anybody mention it to Jim.
Negative imperative of let’s

We often use the phrase let’s not:
Let’s not forget to lock the door!
We sometimes use don’t let’s in more formal contexts:
Don’t let’s mention 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 normally will you:
Don’t tell anyone, will you?
Imperatives as offers and invitations

We can use imperatives to make offers and invitations:
Have another piece of melon.
Please stay another night. You know you’ll be most welcome.
Go on! Come to the match with us tonight.
Don’t be afraid to ask if you want anything.
4
Commands and instructions
Giving commands
We often use an imperative in commands, and we also use must. They both sound very
direct:
[in class]
Stop talking now!
[a father to his child]
Don’t press that button.
[a mother to a child]
You must wear a coat. It’s raining.
There are a number of ways of making commands sound more polite. We can
add pleaseat the end of what we say, or we can use a question form to make a command
sound more like a request, or we can use I’d like you to + infinitive or I’d be grateful if
you’d + infinitive without to:
[a boss to an assistant]
Ask Max to sign this form and then send it off immediately please, Gwyn.
Will you bring us the files on the Hanley case please, Maria?
I’d like you to bring us four coffees at eleven when we take a break in the meeting.
I’d be grateful if you didn’t tell anyone about this.
Public notices
Public notices often give direct commands using no, do not or must:
Giving instructions
We use instructions to tell someone how to do something. We usually use imperatives.

They do not sound too direct in this context:
[a cookery class]
Beat four eggs, like this. Then add the flour gradually. Don’t beat the eggs too much
though.
5
[instructions on how to replace a missing button]
Thread your needle with a piece of thread about 25 cm long. Mark the spot where you
want the button. Insert the needle from the back of the fabric and bring it through …
Spoken English:
In speaking, we often use the present simple when we are giving instructions and
demonstrations, and we say like so meaning ‘like this’:
You fold the A4 piece of paper like so. Then you glue some shapes onto this side
and sprinkle some glitter on it like so.

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Imperative Clauses

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Imperative clauses (Be quiet!

Enjoy your meal.

Stop talking and open your books.

Open the window a little more, please, if you wouldn’t mind.

Not: Open the window. (too direct)

Imperatives with subject pronouns

[a student and a teacher]

In negative imperatives of this type, you comes after don’t:

Somebody call a doctor. Quick!

Everybody sit down, please.

[at the beginning of a meal]

Do sit down and make yourself comfortable.

Imperatives with let (let’s)

Let me see. What should I do?

Let’s start at nine-thirty tomorrow, please. Okay?

[at the beginning of a meeting]

Let us begin by welcoming our new members.

Do not use the lift in the event of fire.

Don’t tell anyone that I was here.

We can use don’t on its own in short responses:

Don’t you worry. Everything will be okay.

It’s a surprise party so don’t anybody mention it to Jim.

Negative imperative of let’s

Let’s not forget to lock the door!

We sometimes use don’t let’s in more formal contexts:

Question tags commonly used after imperatives

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 normally will you:

Don’t tell anyone, will you?

Imperatives as offers and invitations

Have another piece of melon.

Please stay another night. You know you’ll be most welcome.

Go on! Come to the match with us tonight.

Don’t be afraid to ask if you want anything.

Stop talking now!

[a father to his child]

Don’t press that button.

You must wear a coat. It’s raining.

I’d be grateful if you didn’t tell anyone about this.

We use instructions to tell someone how to do something. We usually use imperatives.

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