eng5-4.3· Unit 4: Right Now· ~13 min

Imperatives

Commands and instructions.

An imperative sentence gives a command, instruction, request, or piece of advice. To form an affirmative imperative, use the base form of the verb — no subject, no '-s', no auxiliary. For example: 'Open your book', 'Sit down', 'Listen carefully'. To make a negative imperative, add 'Don't' (= Do not) before the base verb: 'Don't run in the corridor', 'Don't close the window'. Notice there is no subject ('you') in either form — the subject is always understood to be the person you are speaking to. To make a command sound more polite, add 'please' at the beginning or end: 'Please come in' or 'Sit down, please'. Imperatives are used for classroom instructions ('Write your name'), signs ('Don't walk on the grass'), safety rules ('Stop at the red light'), and everyday requests ('Pass the salt, please'). The key rule: always use the bare infinitive — never a conjugated verb form. For example: Say 'Close the door', NOT 'Closes the door' or 'You close the door'.

Key terms

imperative — A sentence that gives a command, instruction, request, or piece of advice (e.g. 'Open your book.').
base verb (bare infinitive) — The simple form of a verb with no -s, -ing, or -ed ending (e.g. 'open', 'sit', 'write').
affirmative imperative — A positive command formed with only the base verb and no subject (e.g. 'Listen carefully.').
negative imperative — A command that tells someone NOT to do something; formed with Don't + base verb (e.g. 'Don't run.').
please — A word added at the start or end of an imperative to make a request more polite (e.g. 'Please sit down.' / 'Sit down, please.').
Imperative Forms: Affirmative and Negative
FormStructureExample
AffirmativeBase verb (no subject, no -s)Open your book.
AffirmativeBase verb (no subject, no -s)Sit down.
AffirmativeBase verb (no subject, no -s)Be quiet.
NegativeDon't + base verbDon't run in the corridor.
NegativeDon't + base verbDon't talk in class.
NegativeDon't + base verbDon't be late.

The subject 'you' is always understood — never write it.

Common Mistakes with Imperatives
WrongWhy it is wrongCorrect
Opens your book.Never add -s/-es to an imperative verb.Open your book.
You open your book.Never include a subject pronoun.Open your book.
Opening your book.-ing forms cannot stand alone as an imperative.Open your book.
Not run in the class.'Not' alone cannot make a negative imperative.Don't run in the class.
Doesn't run in the class.'Doesn't' is Present Simple (he/she/it), not imperative.Don't run in the class.
Don't runs in the class.After 'Don't', always use the base verb — no -s.Don't run in the class.

Use the base verb. Never add -s. Use Don't (not Not or Doesn't) for negatives.

Adding 'Please' for Polite Requests
Position of 'please'Example
At the beginningPlease sit down.
At the end (after a comma)Sit down, please.
At the beginning (negative)Please don't shout.
At the end (negative)Don't shout, please.

'Please' can go at the start or end — but never between Don't and the verb.

✎How to build an affirmative imperative
  1. 1Step 1: Choose the action verb in its base form.: write
  2. 2Step 2: Do NOT add a subject (no 'you'), and do NOT add -s or -ing.: NOT: 'You write' — NOT: 'Writes' — NOT: 'Writing'
  3. 3Step 3: Add the rest of the sentence.: Write your name on the paper.
  4. 4Step 4 (optional): Add 'please' at the start or end for politeness.: Please write your name on the paper. OR Write your name on the paper, please.
✎How to build a negative imperative
  1. 1Step 1: Start with 'Don't' (= Do not).: Don't
  2. 2Step 2: Add the base verb immediately after 'Don't' — no -s, no -ing.: Don't eat (NOT: Don't eats / Don't eating)
  3. 3Step 3: Add the rest of the sentence.: Don't eat in the library.
  4. 4Step 4 (optional): Add 'please' at the start or end.: Please don't eat in the library. OR Don't eat in the library, please.
💡Note

Imperatives are used in classroom instructions ('Listen carefully.'), signs ('Don't walk on the grass.'), safety rules ('Stop at the red light.'), and everyday requests ('Pass the salt, please.').

🚫Common mistake

Common mistake: 'Don't forgets your bag.' After 'Don't', always use the BASE verb — no -s or -es. The correct sentence is 'Don't forget your bag.'

🚫Common mistake

Common mistake: 'Doesn't run in the class.' — 'Doesn't' is for Present Simple negatives (he/she/it), NOT for imperatives. Use 'Don't' for ALL negative imperatives: 'Don't run in the class.'

⚠️Caution

'Please' must go at the very start or very end of the sentence. Never put it between 'Don't' and the verb. 'Don't please touch the cat.' is WRONG. Say 'Please don't touch the cat.' or 'Don't touch the cat, please.'

Rules

  1. 1Affirmative imperative = base verb (no subject, no -s): 'Open the window', 'Sit down'.
  2. 2Negative imperative = Don't + base verb: 'Don't talk', 'Don't open the door'.
  3. 3Never add a subject pronoun — the listener ('you') is always understood.
  4. 4Never add -s or -es to the verb: say 'Listen', NOT 'Listens'.
  5. 5Add 'please' at the start or end to make a request more polite: 'Please sit down' or 'Sit down, please'.

Practice

10 easy · 10 medium · 10 hard

10 random questions per test

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