Have you ever told your friend to give you a copy of an assignment or to give you a ride home? Well, that’s the essence of imperative sentences: telling someone what to do. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about this type of sentence, as well as its correct usage and the difference between declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences.
Related:
- What Are Sentence Starters? (With Examples)
- What Are the Types of Conditional Sentences & How to Use Them?
- What Is a Sentence Fragment?
What Are Imperative Sentences?
An imperative sentence can be a request, command, or instruction that you give to a person, animal, or even virtual assistants (like Siri and Google Assistant.)
Tip: Depending on the context, the subject of an imperative sentence can be you or the person you are talking with.
Contrary to common belief, an imperative sentence doesn’t always end with a full stop or period. If there’s a sense of urgency, you can also use an exclamation point. For instance, if your dog isn’t supposed to be on the couch, you might say, “Get down now!”
Examples of imperative sentences
- Wait!
- Put that box in the garage.
- Go to sleep!
- Give Pixie one cup of food at 8 am and one cup at 4 pm.
- Please let the dog out.
- Please put a log on the fire.
- Bring the umbrella.
- Clean the oven.
- Watch out!
What Is an Imperative Verb and Imperative Mood?
The imperative verb is the part of an imperative sentence that tells you what action to take. You can usually find it at the beginning of the sentence. If someone said, “Hide over there!” the imperative verb is “hide.” The overall feeling you get from an imperative sentence is the imperative mood.
Tip: If you want to sound polite, you can use the word “please” whenever you are giving an order.
Imperative verb examples
- Watch
- Give
- Stop
- Listen
What Is the Structure of an Imperative Sentence?
An imperative sentence includes one key component: the base form of a verb. For instance, if you want to tell your friends that they should jump, use the word “jump” and not “jumps,” “jumped,” or “jumping.”
As for the subject, it is always implied in an imperative sentence. But you can still include one (a subject) if needed.
Here is a closer look at the possible structures of an imperative sentence:
- Base form of the verb: Go!
- Base form of the verb + object: Close the door.
- Politeness marketer + base form of the verb: Please sit.
- Politeness marker + base form of the verb + object: Please close the door.
- Base form of the verb + possessive adjective + object: Close your book.
- Politeness marker + base form of the verb + possessive adjective + object: Please close your book.
Tip: Remember, the whole premise of an imperative sentence is to have someone else do something, whether it is an order, request, instruction, or advice. The structures mentioned above are just a guide.
What Are the Different Types of Imperative Sentences?
Do you need to take charge and give people some direction? There are three main ways you can tell people what to do. You can use conditional imperative, positive imperative, or negative imperative sentences. The sections below will give you more detail on each one.
Conditional Imperative Sentences
Conditional imperative sentences tell you what to do, but only under certain circumstances. The action is only needed in a specific situation, so you add an “if” to this kind of sentence.
For example, “If Pixie barks, let her in.” This lets someone know that the dog barking is the cue to let her back in. You might use a conditional imperative when you are giving instructions on when and how to do something.
Conditional imperative examples:
- If the soup starts boiling, lower the heat and stir it gently.
- If it snows, shovel the driveway.
- If she comes home, call me at work.
Affirmative Imperative Sentence / Positive Imperative Sentences
An affirmative or positive imperative sentence is different from other types of imperative sentences because the focus is always on getting someone to do something.
It has the same general structure as other types of imperative sentences. Adding “please” or even a reason why can make the positive imperative more polite and improve the response.
Positive imperative examples:
- Please stop talking so everyone can focus on their work.
- Please sit down.
- Pick up that mess.
Negative Imperative Sentences
A negative imperative sentence is the opposite of a positive imperative. Instead of making someone do something, you are stopping them. For example, “Don’t sit down” or “Do not touch the stove.”
To identify a negative imperative sentence, you will spot negative words like “don’t,” “do not,” “never,” and not.
Negative imperative examples:
- Don’t take pictures during the show.
- Never leave food in your tent, there are bears around here.
- Do not leave until I make sure the door is unlocked.
Imperative Sentence vs Sentence Types
If you want to put it all in perspective, check out the table below. It compares the structure of different types of sentences.
| Type of Sentence Structures | Function | Punctuation Mark | Example |
| Declarative Sentence | Statement | Period (.) | My arm is sore. |
| Interrogative Sentence | Ask a question | Question mark (?) | Where are you going? |
| Imperative Sentence | Command or request | Period (.) or exclamation mark (!) | Wipe your feet. |
| Exclamatory Sentence | Convey strong emphasis, emotion, or surprise | Exclamation mark (!) | I have never seen so many stars! |
Final Thoughts
In summary, you can use an imperative sentence to give an order or make a direct request. You won’t often see the subject stated in an imperative sentence. Still, you’ll know the subject is you or whoever is being spoken to. Remember, an imperative sentence can end either with a period or an exclamation mark. Also, don’t forget to be polite and add “please” whenever you can!
