Learn the

imperative

SKILLS

LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE

Beginner A1_2056X_EN English
Goals

■ Learn how and when to use

the imperative

■ Practise using the

imperative to give
directions

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 Get ready…

Sit down, open your books and take

out your pencils.
Let’s go!

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Read these sentences

Sign here please.

Smile for the photo!

Pack your suitcase.

Answer the phone!

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Using the imperative

The imperative is used for

telling people what to do.

It is used for requests,

commands and suggestions.

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Forming the imperative

To form the imperative:

■ Drop the word to from the infinitive of a verb
■ Put the imperative verb at the beginning of the sentence

The imperative doesn’t change the word order of the rest of the sentence.

Infinitive Imperative

to come Come in!

to hurry Hurry up!

to close Close the window!

to stop Stop talking!

to wait Wait for me!

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Practise forming the imperative

1. _______________ your teeth

Brush your teeth.
before bed. (to brush)

_______________________________________________________________
2. _______________ the window. (to _________________________________________
open)

_______________________________________________________________
3. _______________ to your teacher. _________________________________________
(to listen)

_______________________________________________________________
4. After school, _______________ _________________________________________
your homework. (to do)

_______________________________________________________________
5. _______________ the kitchen _________________________________________
after you cook. (to clean)

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Warning!

■ The imperative is a very direct form of speech and it must be used carefully.
■ It is used when instructions or directions are given. We don’t often use it in social
situations. This is because it can sound impolite or rude.
■ Requests in social situations are usually made in the form of a question, or by
adding the word please.
■ Look at next slides and observe the differences.

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Warning!

Requests in social situations are usually made in the form of a question, or by adding
the word please.

Imperative Polite

Open the door. Can you open the door?

Pass the salt. Pass the salt, please.

Wait a minute. Could you please wait a minute?

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Activity

Look at the next five slides and

decide whether they are using the
imperative or not.

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 to read

Can you read us a story, please?

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 to validate

Validate your ticket on the bus.

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 to put on

Put on your shoes.

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 to close

Could you please close the door?

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 to give

Give me the books.

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Forming the negative imperative

The imperative can also be used negatively to tell people not to do something.
To form the negative imperative we simply add the word don’t before the infinitive
and remove the word to.

To form the negative imperative:

■ Put don’t at the beginning of the sentence
■ Remove the word to from the infinitive

The negative imperative doesn’t change the word order of the rest of the sentence.

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Examples of the negative imperative

■ Below are some examples of the negative imperative:

Verb Negative imperative

to run Don’t run in the house.

to talk Don’t talk in class.

to walk Don’t walk on the road.

to forget Don’t forget to buy bread.

to be Don’t be late for work.

to sit Don’t sit on the floor.

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Practise forming the negative imperative

1. _______________ to me right now.

Don’t talk to me right now.
(to talk)

2. _______________ to wear _______________________________________________________________

sunscreen on holiday. (to _________________________________________

forget)

_______________________________________________________________
3. _______________ your mobile _________________________________________
phone in class. (to answer)

_______________________________________________________________
4. _______________ your clothes on _________________________________________
the floor. (to leave)

_______________________________________________________________
5. _______________ until everyone _________________________________________
is at the table. (to eat)

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Let’s …

■ Another very common use of the imperative is with the word let’s. In this form it
is used to make a suggestion.
■ It is quite casual and is not seen as rude or impolite.

Let’s eat!

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Activity

Write down 5 different examples of

occasions when you could use the
imperative with let’s…

Let’s go on holiday!

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The imperative with directions

■ In general, the imperative is a very direct way of speaking. Usually, it is not the
most polite way to talk to someone.
■ However, it is okay to use the imperative when giving instructions or directions.

Go straight up the road. Turn left. Then cross the street and turn left
again.

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Remember these words?

far

turn close

corner next to

through behind

between

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 to cross

Cross the road. The bus stop is on the other side.

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 to go straight

Go straight down the street,

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 to take (a direction)

Take a left at the end of the street.

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 to take (a direction)

Take a right after the fountain.

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 to turn around

Turn around. You’re going in the wrong direction.

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 Complete the dialogue

please Excuse me, Can you help me

_______________? I’m looking for the
now museum.
Show
Yes, of course. _______________ me your
map.
Take
far
Here you go. Is it _______________ from
here?
next to
close
Let’s see. No, it’s actually quite
_______________.
between
tell
Great! So _______________ me, how do I
get there?
speak
It’s right around the corner. Cross
_______________ the road and turn left.
Then you’re there! Turn
Have
Wonderful! Thanks for your help.
_______________ a nice day!
Make

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Roleplay

■ Pretend you are a tourist and you are

lost. You are looking for something in
your classmate’s town. Your classmate
is walking by and you stop them to ask
for directions.

■ Create a roleplay and then switch

roles!

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Giving directions

Describe the route from point B to point A.

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Reflect on the goals

Go back to the second slide of the lesson and check

if you have achieved all the goals of the lesson.

yes no

_______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________

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Reflect on this lesson

Think about everything you have seen in this lesson.

What were the most difficult activities or words? The easiest?

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________
If you have time, go over
the most difficult slides again

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33 www.lingoda.com
Exercise p.7
2. Open, 3. Listen, 4. do, 5. Clean
Exercise p.18
2. Don’t forget, 3. Don’t answer, 4. Don’t leave, 5. Don’t eat
Exercise p.28
please, Show, far, close, tell, Close, Have
Answer key
Homework

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Make flashcards

1. The church is across…

2. You need to go around…

3. After the vegetable shop, take…

4. You’re going the wrong way. You need to…

a. a left.

b. the street.

c. turn around.

d. the corner.

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Fill in the gaps

cross
Can you _______________ me get to the
walk
supermarket? I’m lost!
go
- Yes, of course. First you need to
turn around
_______________. You’re going in the
_______________ direction. Then help
_______________ straight down the street
until the end. _______________ left and wrong
_______________ for 200 metres. Then
Turn
_______________ a right and
_______________ the road. You will see take
the supermarket on the _______________.
corner

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Vocabulary lists

Check the first five words of the lesson.

Sort them into two lists.
Give your lists a name.

List 1: _____________ List 2: _____________

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My favourite words

Choose five words or phrases from the lesson

and write them down in your list of My favourite words.

Word one

Word two

Word three

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Sentences in the third person plural

Choose five example sentences from this lesson.

Copy them and rewrite them about
a group of people (or using the pronoun them).

Examples:

She is a doctor

→ Hannah and James are doctors.

He speaks English and French

→ They speak English and French.

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40 www.lingoda.com
Exercise p. 37
1B, 2D, 3A, 4C
Exercise p.38
help, turn around, wrong, go, Turn, walk, take, cross, corner
Homework answer key
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