Imperative: Positive commands and instructions

In most English sentences, we need a subject. We usually say You eat your vegetables. In an imperative sentence, we drop the you. The sentence becomes Eat your vegetables. The subject is still there in your mind. We call this the 'understood you'. It is like a hidden ghost in the sentence. Because we drop the subject, the verb comes first. This makes the sentence feel very strong. It gets straight to the point without any fluff. It is the fastest way to communicate an idea. Imagine you are in a hurry. You don't say I would like you to run. You just shout Run!. It saves time and energy. This is why we love imperatives in emergencies. They are the ultimate shortcut for busy people. Yes, even native speakers love this simple trick.

1. 1Creating a positive imperative is a piece of cake. Follow these simple steps to build one:
2. 2Choose the base form of the verb.
3. 3Do not add to before the verb.
4. 4Do not add s, ed, or ing endings.
5. 5Put the verb at the very start.
6. 6Add an object or detail if needed.
7. 7Use a period or an exclamation mark.
8. 8For example, take the verb to walk. Drop the to to get walk. Now just say Walk to the door. It is that easy! You never say Walks to the door. You never say Walking to the door. Just use the plain, simple verb form. It is like the verb is wearing its favorite pajamas. No fancy decorations are required here. If you want to be extra polite, add please. You can put please at the start or end. Please sit down sounds very nice. Sit down, please also works perfectly.

There are many times when imperatives are perfect. Use them when you are giving directions. Turn left at the bank is very clear. Use them when you are sharing a recipe. Mix the flour and sugar tells the cook what to do. They are great for giving advice to friends. Try the chocolate cake is a helpful suggestion. You will see them on signs in public. Push or Pull on a door are imperatives. In a job interview, an employer might say Tell me about yourself. This is a polite command to start talking. Coaches use them during sports games to lead teams. Pass the ball or Run faster are common shouts. Even in a calm yoga class, you hear them. Breathe deeply and Stretch your arms guide your movement. They help keep things organized and clear for everyone. Use them whenever you need someone to take action.

Imperatives can be a little bit too strong sometimes. You should be careful with people you don't know. If you tell a stranger Give me money, it sounds rude. Instead, use a polite question like Could you give me...?. Avoid using them with your boss for requests. Saying Give me a raise might not end well. It is better to use softer language there. Don't use them if you want to sound very formal. They are very direct, which can feel aggressive in some cultures. Think of it like a volume knob on a radio. Imperatives are the volume turned up to ten. Sometimes you need to turn it down to a four. If someone is sad, a command might feel too harsh. Stop crying is not very comforting to a friend. Use your best judgment based on the person's feelings.

One big mistake is adding a subject. Do not say You open the window. Just say Open the window. Another common error is using the wrong verb form. People often try to add an s for one person. They say He sit down, but that is wrong. The imperative is always the same for everyone. Whether you talk to one person or fifty, use Sit. Don't use the ing form either. Coming here is not a command. Come here is the correct way to say it. Some people forget to use the base form of be. They might say Is quiet instead of Be quiet. Remember, be is the boss verb here. Also, watch out for the word to. To listen to me is not a command. Listen to me is what you want to say. Even native speakers mess this up when they are tired. Just keep it simple and you will be fine.

Let's compare imperatives with the Present Simple tense. In Present Simple, we say You eat breakfast every day. This is just a fact about your life. In the imperative, we say Eat your breakfast!. This is a command to act right now. One describes a habit, the other demands an action. It is also different from using can or should. You should go is a piece of soft advice. Go! is a direct order. Think of should as a suggestion and imperatives as a requirement. It is like the difference between a map and a driver. The map suggests a route, but the driver makes the turn. Imperatives are the driver of the English language. They make things happen immediately.