Imperatives
Have a Nice Summer!


Welcome to the popular and unique ESL HELP! Desk, where we care about improving your English grammar and communication.   Our podcast topics range from grammar lessons to topics of contemporary interest.

Today we are going to present a grammar lesson to you on "imperatives", commonly known as "commands".

A command is something said directly to a person in which you tell him what to do or you order him to do something.  The adjective "imperative" means urgent.  A command sentence is an order but may not necessarily be urgent. Thus, we will use the term "command" here.

We will teach you how to use a positive command and a negative command.  Both are easy to form.

To form a positive command:

Begin with your base form of the verb.  Then complete the sentence.

See? We just wrote two command sentences (above).  "Begin" is the base form of the verb and "with your base form of the verb" is the rest of the sentence.  "Complete" is the base form of the verb and "the sentence" is the rest.

Notice that a command sentence does NOT indicate to whom you are speaking.  Notice that there is no difference between singular and plural.

If you want to use the name of the person you are speaking to, begin with the person's name. Then add a COMMA. Then complete the command. For our podcast, we will say only the correct forms aloud.  When you are listening, notice the pause between the name of the person being spoken to and the rest of the sentence. 

CORRECT                 Sit down.
                                 Joey, sit down.

INCORRECT            "You sit down."
                            or "Joey sit down."

CORRECT                 "Please send me information."
INCORRECT             "You please send me information."
                                     
CORRECT                "Joey, stop fooling around and eat your dinner."
INCORRECT             "Joey stop fooling around and eat your dinner."
                                 "You stop fooling around and eat your dinner."

Please note that people will begin commands with "You" but it is usually said in anger or to indicate ones superiority and and the others subservience.  Avoid using this in normal and respectful speech.

To form a negative command:

Simply add "Don't" before the base form.

Don't sit down.
Joey, don't sit down.
Don't send me any information.
Please don't send me any information.

That said, let's now take a look at some of the sentences from our prior podcast:

1. Use compact fluorescent bulbs wherever possible.
    

2. Don't leave electronics such as your TV, lights, and radio on when you leave your home. 
    

3. Put your computer into "stand by" mode if you will return in a short while.   Turn your monitor, printer, and speakers off as well.
    

4. Don't leave the refrigerator door open longer than is necessary.
    

5. Recycle! 
   Recycle your paper, plastics, and glass. 
   Don't throw out old electronics even if they are no longer in working condition:  Recycle them.
   Contact your town and find out where to recycle old electronics such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, computers, monitors, printers, ink cartridges, paint, batteries, and even books.

We are anxious to receive your questions and comments! In order to avoid spamming, please post your questions and comments in our blog.  We hope to hear from you soon. And have a nice summer!

The ESL HELP! Desk

Music Copyright, permission of Luca De Bernardi,  www.saguarovideo.it/blog
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VOCABULARY

(to) command (somebody) to - (to)  order (somebody) to

(a) command - noun and adjective:

a command
a command sentence

base form - the form of the verb that has no time or person

(a) comma - the punctuation mark: ,

compact fluorescent bulb

incandescent bulb



(to) leave (something) on

(to) stand by / standby mode

(to) leave (something) open

(to) recycle

recyclable (adjective form)

 

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