Read on to learn about a powerful type of sentence that you use all the time without even realizing it. Whether you’re giving directions, making a request, or issuing a command, imperative sentences are a fundamental part of how we communicate.
An imperative sentence gives a direct command, request, or instruction.
This article will define the imperative sentence, explain its unique structure, provide numerous examples from everyday life and literature, and offer practical tips for using them effectively in your writing.
What Is an Imperative Sentence?
An imperative sentence expresses a command, request, or instruction. Its primary function is to direct someone to do something.
Imperative sentences are a fundamental part of the English language, used for giving directions, making requests, and providing advice (Always wear suncream). It is distinct from declarative sentences, which make a statement (The sun is hot), and interrogative sentences, which ask a question (Is the sun hot?).
The key characteristic of an imperative sentence is its verb-first structure and an implied “you” as the subject, making it a direct way to communicate.
Imperative Statement Structure
An imperative sentence has a unique structure that makes it both simple and powerful. Its most notable features are a verb-first format and an implied subject, which is why it is an efficient and direct way to communicate. Here are the core requirements and optional additions that make up an imperative sentence.
Core Requirements
To be an imperative sentence, it must have these two elements:
- Implied Subject: The subject is always an unspoken “you” which is understood by context.
- Verb-First: The sentence must begin with a verb in its base form (e.g., “run,” not “ran” or “running”).
Optional Additions
Once the core requirements are met, an imperative sentence can be modified with these additions:
- Direct Object: A direct object can be included to receive the action of the verb, such as “Read the book.”
- Adverb or Adverbial Phrase: These can be added to provide more detail about how, when, or where the action should be performed. For example, “Walk slowly down the hall.”
- Direct Address: The implied “you” can be made explicit by directly addressing the person’s name or title, like “Sarah, please bring me the report.”
- Adding “Please”: The word “please” can be added at the beginning or end to soften the command and turn it into a polite request—Please listen to me, or Listen to me, please.
- Negative Commands: To form a negative imperative sentence, you simply add the phrase “do not” or its contraction “don’t” before the verb—Do not forget your keys.
Imperative Sentence Examples
Here are forty examples of imperative sentences, with the imperative word in bold:
- Turn off the lights, please, before you leave the room.
- Open the window to let in some fresh air.
- Pass the salt, if you don’t mind.
- Finish your homework before dinner.
- Close the door quietly so as not to wake the baby.
- Tell me what happened at the meeting earlier today.
- Don’t forget to call your mother tonight.
- Try this new recipe, it is quite delicious.
- Hold, take thou this vial, being then in bed.
- Go to the store and buy a loaf of bread.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before you eat.
- Don’t run in the house, it is not safe.
- Take a deep breath and compose yourself.
- Bring me the newspaper from the porch.
- Let him go; he is a man of honor.
- Remember that all is not gold that glitters.
- Do not go gentle into that good night.
- Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
- Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.
- Ask not what your country can do for you.
- Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide.
- Live each day as if it were your last.
- Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair.
- Tell me how much you love me, dear.
- Be not afraid, I am with you always.
- Put your phone away, it is time for a conversation.
- Read this book, it will change your perspective on life.
- Write your name and the date at the top of the page.
- Move the entire stack of papers to your left.
- Read The Catcher in the Rye to understand Holden Caulfield’s angst.
- Follow the White Rabbit into Wonderland, as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland commands.
- Remember the lessons of courage and friendship in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
- Imagine the dystopian society described in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.
- Heed the warning of the ghost in A Christmas Carol.
- Search for the true meaning of humanity in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
- Think about the complex moral choices faced by the characters in The Lord of the Rings.
- Describe the green light at the end of the dock from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
- Recite the opening lines of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick: “Call me Ishmael.”
- Analyze the use of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.
When to Use Imperative Sentences
- Providing Instructions: Use imperatives in recipes, manuals, or homework assignments to clearly and concisely guide a reader through a process.
- Establishing Authority: A strong imperative can convey a character’s power or dominance in dialogue, which is useful for writing commanders, parents, or other figures of authority.
- Making a Request: By adding a word like “please,” an imperative sentence becomes a polite request, perfect for crafting a character who is asking for a favor.
- Giving Advice or Warnings: Use imperatives to offer guidance or a warning to a reader or a character. A character, for example, might say, “Beware the shadows,” as a warning.
Imperative Sentence Writing Tips
Use these five tips to write effective imperative sentences in creative writing.
- Establish a character’s voice and personality. A character who frequently uses forceful imperatives might seem authoritative or short-tempered. A character who uses polite imperatives with “please” will come across as more gentle.
- Create a sense of urgency and dramatic tension. Use a short, sharp imperative in a moment of crisis or high emotion. For example, a character might shout, “Run!” to create an immediate sense of danger for the reader.
- Drive the action and engage the reader directly. Imperatives pull the reader into the story and make them feel a part of the action. A narrator might say, “Imagine a world without magic,” to immediately involve the reader’s imagination.
- Use them to vary sentence structure for rhythm. In a long descriptive passage, a sudden imperative sentence can break the flow and inject energy, making the writing more dynamic and engaging.
- Show a character’s power or desperation in dialogue. A powerful character might issue a cold command (“Silence.”), while a desperate one might plead with a request (“Please, don’t leave me.”).