Imperatives - How to give commands in English and more!

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Hi, this is Alex, and welcome to this lesson on imperatives.

Now, if you're wondering what the word "imperatives" means, basically, in grammar, imperatives

are simply verbs used to achieve different functions, but they always have the same kind

of general role of telling someone what to do, or guiding someone to do something, OK?

So imperatives are verbs used to give orders or commands, give directions or instructions,

make requests with "please," give advice, suggestions, give warnings, or to invite someone

Now, when you use an imperative, you start the sentence with the verb, the base form

of the verb, OK?

You're not basically indicating any kind of subject, so you're not saying "I, you, we,

The subject is implied always to be talking about you, OK?

So in imperatives, the subject is you.

So let's look at some examples to make it easier to understand.

So verbs used to give orders or commands, OK?

So what is an order or a command?

For example, if you are taking swimming lessons, your instructor might tell you, "Jump into

So they are talking to you directly.

They're not saying, "You, jump into the pool."

They're saying, "Jump into the pool," and you know they are talking to you.

You know the command is for you.

So they use the verb "jump," right?

That's the base form of the verb, "jump," and then followed by a command or an instruction,

Let's look at the second use of imperatives, and that is to give directions or instructions.

So for example, if you are giving directions to someone on how to get to your home, you

would tell them, "Go straight on John Street, turn left on Main Street, turn right on King

So again, you're saying, you're starting your sentences with "go," OK?

Base form, "turn," base form of a verb, right?

So you can also use it to give instructions.

So let's say cooking instructions for a meal, "Add two tablespoons of salt."

So "add," right?

Just the base form of the verb, you're beginning the sentence with that, to give directions,

instructions on how to cook something.

You can make requests using imperatives.

Now here, when you're making a request, you usually want to use "please."

Usually at the end, or maybe at the beginning as well.

So you can make a request, let's say your job is a teacher as well, and you want your

students to read page 52 for homework.

So you can say that sentence by saying, "Please read page 52.

So again, "read" is the base form of the verb, right?

Plus your request, "Please read page 52."

You're requesting them to do it.

It should be a command or an order, really, but in this case, it's more so of a request

when you're using, when you're adding "please."

You can use it to give advice or suggestions, OK?

So for example, I'm going to use a negative in this case.

So if I say, "Don't cross the streets," OK?

So "cross" is the base form of the verb again.

I'm putting "do not" in front of it, OK?

I'm giving advice or suggestion, OK?

I'm saying, "Don't cross the streets, otherwise you might get hurt," OK?

You can also give warnings.

So this is kind of similar, essentially, OK?

Do not touch, essentially.

Do not touch the oven, OK?

You're giving a warning.

Don't touch that, OK?

You can invite someone to somewhere by using an imperative as well.

So you can say, "Come to my house at 4 o'clock."

That's when a party starts, could be your birthday or grandma's 75th wedding anniversary.

So you can invite someone to somewhere just by, start, I apologize, by beginning with

the verb, right?

The base form of the verb, "come."

Come at 7 o'clock, OK?

Usually when you're inviting someone, it might be nice to ask "please" as well.

So "Please come at 7 o'clock."

You're inviting someone to go somewhere.

OK, so let's look at some of the rules now on how we can put these kinds of imperatives

OK, so let's look into this a little bit more in depth, just to make sure that you understand

the form of how to use imperatives.

OK, so if you're speaking in the affirmative, so the positive sense, what, again, what you

use is simply the base form of the verb, OK, plus, you know, the command, the warning,

whatever you want to accomplish, make the request.

So what I have here is "Give me that," right?

That's a command for someone to give you something right away, OK?

So again, you have the base form of the verb plus, you know, the rest of your command in

this case, "Give me that."

So if you're talking in the negative, it's very simple.

Just put "do not," OK?

Again, in conversation, "do not" sometimes becomes "don't," so "do not" plus the base

form of the verb.

So the example I have here is "Do not go inside," OK?

So this is a warning, right?

"Do not" plus the base form of "go," which is "go," "do not go inside."

You're issuing a warning.

And just a reminder, again, that the subject of an imperative is always, it's always you,

You don't have to indicate, you know, I don't have to say, "Alex, give me that."

You can, but usually it's implied.

If someone looks directly at you and tells you, "Give me that," it's implied that it's

So in writing and in speaking, it's always implied that you are the subject, OK?

So again, just remember the base form of the verb, to give the command, make the request,

issue the warning, send out an invitation, OK?

So if you'd like to test your knowledge on imperatives, please check out www.engvid.com

Again, my name is Alex, take care.