Imperative mood. Imperative mood in English

Affirmative form:

Coincides with the form of the so-called. “bare” infinitive of the verb, taken without the particle “to”:
to wake up Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
to bring a chair Bring a chair! Bring some chair!
to be seated (be + participle II) Be seated! Sit down!
to get talking (get + participle I) Get talking! Speak!
When referring to 1l. units and many more tsp or 3l. units and many more h. in addition to the “bare” infinitive, the verb “let” is used. The required personal pronoun (in the objective case) or noun (in the general case) is placed between it and the infinitive.
e. g. Let us see the “Swan Lake”! Let's watch Swan Lake.
N.B. “let us” is more commonly used in the abbreviated form “let’s”: Let’s speak French! Let's talk in French.
Let him (her) do this work! Let (Let) him/she/ do this work.
Let them count up to twenty! Let them count to twenty.
Let Nick wash the dishes! Let Nick wash the dishes.
N. B. Do not forget that the verb “to let” has an independent meaning of “allow”, “let”. In the examples above, it “loses” its main meaning and is used to encourage joint action. When used on its own, the form “let us” is NOT abbreviated. Also pay attention to the shades of meaning:
Let's go. Let (permit, let) us go.
Let's go. (colloquial style) Let us go. (formal style) Let's go. Let's go.
If the speaker wants to strengthen the request, then you need to resort to the auxiliary verb “do”, which is placed before the infinitive:
Do brush your teeth! Be sure to brush your teeth.
Do show us the photos! Be sure to show us the photos.

Negative form:

It is formed by placing before the verb in the imperative mood the auxiliary verb “do”, accompanied by the negative particle “not”. As a rule, the form “do not” is used in its abbreviated form - “don’t”:
e. g. Don't answer. Do not answer.
Don't laugh at them. Don't laugh (don't laugh) at them.
Don’t let Victor play computer games all day long. Don't let Victor play computer games all day.
Don’t let her spend all the money. Don't let her spend all the money.
Attention! These types of sentences can have both negative and positive emotional connotations:
Don't you dare! How dare you! (threat)
Don't you cry! Do not Cry! (comfort)
The negative incentive of the verbs “to be”, “to have” is formed in a similar way:
e. g. Don't be silly. Don't be stupid.
Don’t be ashamed to tell the truth. Don't be shy to tell the truth.
Don't have a try. Don't try (don't try)
Don't have them down. Do not receive them as guests.
In the case of constructing a negative form of the imperative mood using the verb “let”, an option without the auxiliary verb “do” is also possible:
e. g. Let us not trust him. Let's not trust him. Let's not trust him.
Let her not show such poor knowledge. Let her not show such meager knowledge.
The imperative mood in English is also used to express a narrative or interrogative meaning:
e. g. Catch me at it! I will never do anything like that.
Suggest where I can live! Can you imagine where I live?

Similar material on the topic - Imperative mood in English,

The imperative mood is used to convey requests, commands, and instructions. What kind of emotional connotation a sentence in the imperative mood carries can only be determined depending on the intonation with which the sentence is pronounced, in what tone, under what circumstances, whether it is accompanied by a gesture, facial expressions, and so on.

Imperative sentences can express a wide variety of emotions: anger, compassion, impatience, joy, irritation, and so on.

Even if you have just started learning English, you can already form and use imperative sentences. To construct the shortest imperative statement, you only need a verb in the first form:

Look! - Look!

Listen! - Listen!

Imperative sentences do not necessarily consist of one verb:

Look at me! - Look at me!

Listen to the teacher. - Listen to the teacher.

Go straight on and then turn left. - Go straight and then turn left.

Negative imperative sentences are always built using don"t:

Don"t look at me! - Don't look at me!

Don"t enter the room. - Do not enter the room.

Don"t cry! - Don't cry!

The full form of negation (do not) is used in warning signs, pointers:

As already mentioned, very little attention is paid to the imperative mood when learning English. Therefore, few people think about the functions of imperative sentences. The maximum that comes to mind: commands, orders, instructions... Let's look at the various functions of imperative sentences.

1. Commands and requests:

Close the window (please). - Close the window (please).

Don"t cry! - Don't cry!

Wait! - Wait!

2. Cautions:

Be careful. - Be careful.

Look out! - Be careful!

Don"t touch this! - Don't touch this!

3. Prohibitions:

Don't smoke! - No smoking!

Don't touch! - Don't touch!

4. Instructions:

Mix the ingredients and add some salt. - Mix the ingredients and add salt.

Wash in cold water. - Wash in cold water.

Always be positive and smile. - Always be positive and smile.

Never interrupt a teacher. - Never interrupt the teacher.

6. Invitations:

Join us. - Join us.

Come and see our new house. - Come see our new home.

7. Suggestions:

Have another cake. - Take another cake.

Feel yourself at home. - Make yourself at home.

8. Insults, rudeness:

Shut up! - Shut up!

Get out! - Get out!

In some cases, the auxiliary verb "do" is added to the sentence, which is always stressed in imperative sentences.

"Do" in imperative sentences it is used for:

Expressions of politeness

"Do" at the beginning of a sentence is perceived as more polite:

Do have another piece of cake. - Take another piece of cake, please.

Do come in. - Come in, please.

Signs of impatience or irritation:

Hurry up! - Hurry up!

Do listen to me! - Listen to me!

In order to convince the interlocutor:

Do tell me. I won't tell anyone. - Well, tell me. I won't tell anyone.

Do give me a clue. - Well, give me a hint.

Can often be heard "double" orders, instructions, when two infinitives are used without the particle "to", united by union "and":

Go and fetch the papers. - Go and bring the papers.

Come and have dinner with us. - Come and have dinner with us.

Think and answer the question. - Think and answer the question.

"Double" orders can be translated into Russian using the word "to", but in American English in imperative sentences with the verb “go” the conjunction “and” is sometimes omitted:

Go fetch the papers.

An imperative sentence may contain a question tag, as in a disjunctive question. Since the beginning of the sentence is in the imperative mood, the following endings are used: will you?, won"t you?, can you?, can"t you?, could you?, would you?. Endings - "tails" have certain meanings, let's look at what they can mean.

Irritation and impatience

Endings will you?, won"t you?, can"t you? used to express irritation, the sentence is pronounced in a rising tone:

Stop talking, will you? - Stop talking, okay?

Sit still, won't you? - Sit still, okay?

Turn off the TV, can't you? - Turn off the TV, okay?

Requests

To ask politely, the endings could you?, would you? are used, and for a neutral request - can you? :

Call me tomorrow, can you? - Call me tomorrow, okay?

Tell me the way, could you? - Show me the way, please.

Friendly suggestions: will you?, won"t you? why don"t you?

Have a drink, will you? - Have a drink, okay?

Take some time off, why don't you? - Why don't you rest?

As a sign of mutual agreement, conspiracy: Don"t..., will you?

Don't tell them that you saw me, will you? - Don't tell them that you saw me, okay?

Imperative sentences do not have a subject, but from the communication situation it is clear to whom the statement is addressed. The addressee can be one person or a group of people. Let's look at how to indicate the addressee of an imperative sentence.

You can often find the pronoun you with an imperative clause:

You stop! - Stop!

You try and put yourself in my shoes. - Try to be in my place.

If a speaker uses "you" as an accent word in a sentence, it can express irritation, rudeness, or anger.

Imperative sentences may include:

Help yourself! - Help yourself!

Enjoy yourselves! - Enjoy!

If the statement is addressed to everyone present, the pronouns everyone or everyone are used:

Everyone stand up! - Everyone stand up!

Be quiet everyone. - Be quiet, everyone.

If the statement is not addressed to someone specific, then somebody can be used:

Somebody put out the fire! - Someone put out the fire!

Somebody switch on the lights. - Someone turn on the light.

As you can see, the imperative mood in English is not such a simple topic. Now you and I know that imperative sentences have their own functions, they can have "tails", can be connected by a union and, and may also contain pronouns.

Do you find it difficult to improve your English level on your own? Our teachers will be happy to help you. Go through and start learning English via Skype!

Stay tuned and subscribe to our regular newsletter, join us

The imperative mood expresses an impulse to action in the form of a request, order or wish. The imperative mood has affirmative and negative forms.

Affirmative form the imperative mood is formed from the infinitive of a verb without a particle to :

Read! - Read (those)!

Negative form the imperative mood is formed using an auxiliary verb do and denials not, which are placed before the semantic verb (short form - don"t ):

Do not (don"t) take my book! - Don’t take my book!

This form is characterized in speech by a special intonation, without which it loses the meaning of the imperative mood.

In the imperative mood, there are sometimes forms of the passive voice and forms denoting the duration of an action, which are distinguished by a special stylistic coloring:

Don"t be shouting! - Don't shout!
Be warned! - Let it be known to you!

In the imperative mood, number and tense do not matter.

The imperative mood is addressed to the second person, although the pronoun you, indicating this person, is usually not mentioned in the incentive sentence. Its presence gives the incentive offer a special, stylistically colored character. You before an infinitive may suggest that the speaker is angry:

You stop talking! -Come on, stop the chatter!
You leave me alone! - Leave me alone!

Sometimes, when it is necessary to explain with whom the conversation is taking place, who is inciting action, a person is named in an imperative sentence:

Magoo, come here! The rest of you stay where you are. - Mary, come here! Everyone else, stay where you are.

Relax, everyone! - Relax!
Nobody move! - Do not move!

To make a request sound more polite, put before the verb in the imperative mood. will you, and the sentence is pronounced in a rising tone:

Will you take my book, please. - Please take my book.

Verb let used in imperative sentences addressed to the 1st or 3rd person singular or plural:

Let's see this film. - Let's watch this film.
Let Mary visit her aunt and uncle. - Let Mary visit her aunt and uncle.

The negative form of such sentences is formed using negation don't:

Don't let's see ihis film. - You don’t need to watch this film.

There is also an imperative form formed by adding an auxiliary verb do to a significant verb; This form makes the request more persuasive. Invitation phrase with do sounds more polite and friendly. Do often found in polite requests, complaints and apologies:

Do come and help me! - Please come and help me.
Do tell me more about it. - Please tell me more about this.
Do come in! - Please come in.
Do have another potato! - Please take some more potatoes.
Do forgive me! I didn't mean to interrupt. - Please forgive me. I didn't mean to interrupt you.
Do try and make less noise, children. - Please try to make less noise, children.

In English, it encourages some action, that is, it expresses a request, advice, order, etc. To better understand what we are talking about, in the article below we will consider in detail several of its forms.

1. The affirmative form is identical to the infinitive form, only the particle to is missing. For example, the verb to drink (drink) in this case will sound like drink (drink); to look (look) - look (look), etc.

2. The imperative mood of the negative form is formed if you use do with the addition of a negation particle not. Most often, instead of the full do not, the abbreviation don"t is used. For example, the phrase "don't watch this movie" will look and be pronounced like this: don"t watch this movie (with the full use of negation - do not watch this movie). In addition to do, it is used when creating negative forms of verbs such as to have and to be. For example: don't be ill - don't be in pain, or don't have anything to do with her - don't have anything to do with her.

3. The imperative affirmative form is strengthened if do is placed in front of it (that is, at the beginning of the sentence). Thus, the standard come to hear me tomorrow (come listen to me tomorrow) turns into do come hear me tomorrow (be sure to come listen to me tomorrow).

4. To indicate an incentive to action addressed to the first or third person, you should use the verb let, followed by a personal pronoun in the objective case or a noun in the general case, and an infinitive, but without using the particle to.

For example: 1) let her to do this dirty work - let her do this dirty work; 2) let's drink something - let's drink something; 3) let her go nightclub - let her go to the nightclub; 4) let Michael bring the book - let Michael bring a book.

The negative imperative is formed using do not (abbreviated as don’t) and sometimes without the verb do. The sentence in the first version will be structured like this: don"t let her go shop - let her not go to the store; in the second - like this: let"s not wait her - let's not wait for her.

The verb to let is often used as a semantic verb, meaning permission, permission to do something. The infinitive that comes after it should be used in this case without the particle to. For example: I think you will let us visit that exhibition - I think that you will allow us to visit this exhibition. A negative sentence will look like this: I can’t let my son go for a walk now - I can’t let my son go for a walk now.

5. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in some cases the imperative mood used to give instructions may sound harsh or rude. In these cases, in order to soften the tone, the words “please” (please) and “let"s” (let, let) are used: please give me that cup - please give me this cup. To transform an instruction into a request or change the tone of an utterance , should be used (could, can, should, will, would). If they are used, the sentence will sound more polite and not like an order. For example, instead of make him some coffee, you can say this: could you make him. some coffee? (could you make him some coffee?).

In some cases, in order to voice your request or order, you can do without the imperative mood and use an introductory phrase instead. Here are some:

Would you mind... + ing form (could you...?; do you mind...?);

I was hoping you could...+ infinitive verb without to (I hoped that you could...);

Do you think you could...+ infinitive verb without to (could you...?);

I want you to... (I want you to...);

I’d like you to... (I would like you to...).

Sentences using these introductory phrases look like this:

Would you mind buying some cake to me? -Could you buy me a piece of pie?

I was thinking we could spend this evening together - I thought that we could spend this evening together.

Do you think you could draw this picture more good? - Could you draw this picture better?

I"d like you to clean my shoes - I would like you to clean my shoes.

I want you to sing this song - I want you to sing this song.

If it is necessary to make a request or instruction more clear, it is possible to use a word that denotes priority or order. For example: firstly clean the room - first clean the room; secondly make some food - then cook something to eat; then be free - then be free.

Knowing these simple rules and using the examples given, it will not be difficult for you in the future to correctly formulate your requests or instructions so that they do not look like a rude order. Let your learning of English be as easy as possible!

Today we have a rather light but important topic. If you want to be true kings and queens, use the imperative mood! The Imperative Mood, that"s how they call it. How it sounds!

Imperative mood used to express requests, prohibitions, calls, advice and orders. The main function is to express the impulse to action.

So, read the article, remember and be proud of yourself. In addition, we order you to enjoy the process. And orders are not discussed! So let's do this!

About moods in English

Mood is not when you bend down to pick something up from the ground, but a grammatical form of the verb that shows the speaker's attitude towards the action. There are only three of them:

• indicative ( the Indicative Mood), which means that the speaker views the action as a real fact in the present (he drinks beer in the evening), past (I saw a horror movie yesterday) or future tense (she will wake up in the morning).
• subjunctive ( the Subjunctive Mood), showing that the speaker views the action not as a real fact, but as an expected or desired event. In fact, there are quite a few special forms of this mood left in today's English. Not suggested that the execution of the prisoner be postponed. If the King were here, he would help us.
• imperative mood ( The Imperative Mood), which has one 2nd person form and expresses an impulse to action ( open the window, bring me some food, start the show, don't make me mad). It is convenient because it is easy to form: the verb will always have 1 form: as in the dictionary ( in the form of an infinitive without a particle « to"). Therefore, you need to start studying this Mood as early as possible, because the imperative mood is an integral attribute in everyday speech and can help you achieve what you want.

Forms of the imperative mood

Exists affirmative And negative form of the imperative mood, and different ways to express it in English. The affirmative form coincides with the form of the verb taken without the particle “to”:

to wake up - Wake up! Wake up!
to bring a chair - Bring a chair! Bring a chair!

Study English!- Learn English!
Look at me!- Look at me!
Give me everything you got!- Give me everything you have!
Come to me!- Come to me!
Wash my car!- Wash my car!

If the speaker wants to strengthen the request and make it more expressive, then you can resort to the auxiliary verb “ do”, which is placed before the infinitive:

Do brush your teeth!- Brush your teeth (of course).
Do show us some respect!- Show respect (definitely).
Now, do tell this story again!- Tell this story again (I beg you)!

Don't forget about politeness: " please», « just», « if you don't mind" In addition, to “soften” a sentence, you can make it interrogative by adding: “ will you», « won't you», « can you" at the end:

Continue to read the article, please, will you?- Continue reading the article, please, okay?

You can also offer someone a cigar or a cookie. Or both together, showing signs of attention and hospitality:

Have a cigar. Would you like another cookie?- Take a cigar. Would you like some more cookies?

When using somebody / someone / anybody / anyone / nobody / everybody / no one as a subject, we also get a sentence in the imperative mood:

Nobody moves —nobody gets hurt! - No one moves, and no one gets hurt!
Somebody call 911! - Someone call the police!

You can also decorate and make our sentence more powerful with the help of adverbs " always" And " never", which are placed before the verb. This is usually a recommendation or advice:

Always carry a gun with you.- Always carry a gun with you.
Never trust anyone.- Never trust anyone.

The imperative mood is also used in spoken English, sometimes figuratively and sometimes to express a question or direction.

Bite me.- Unhook (take a bite).
Guess where I live?- Guess where I live?
I"ll do the cooking and you go take a nap.- I'll cook the food, and you go take a little nap.

If we want to ask a person not to do something (negative form), then we express the imperative mood in English with: “ don"t", yet again without particle« to»:

Don't bother me!- Do not bother me!
Don't look at me!- Do not look at me!
Don't touch me you creep!- Don't touch me, creepy man!

Negative incentive form of verbs " to be», « to have" is formed in a similar way:

Don't be stupid.- Don't be stupid.
Don't be scared to tell the truth.- Don't be afraid to tell the truth.
Don't have a try.- Do not try.

These types of sentences, by the way, can have both negative and positive emotional shades:

Don't you dare!- How dare you! / Don't you dare (threat)!
Don't you cry.- Well, don't cry (consolation).

You can express the imperative mood, or rather prohibit doing something, in other ways, for example, using the verb “ stop» + V(ing):

Stop talking!- Stop talking!
Stop yelling at me!- Stop yelling at me!
Stop making noise!- Stop making noise!
Stop faking it!- Stop pretending!

Many have heard the phrase: “ You don't say?!” - Really?! / Come on?! / Can't be! Which is used to express surprise, or, conversely, its complete absence, while showing complete sarcasm. And although, apparently, we have an imperative mood here, this phrase is clearly not translated literally.

Let + imperative

In such sentences the required personal pronoun ( in the objective case) or noun ( All in all) is placed between verb« let" And infinitive.

In combination with the 1st person singular we have a request:

Let me pass.- Let me pass.

If you put it with the 1st person plural, you get a call to joint action:

Let's paint the city red!- Let's party!

Well, in combination with the 3rd person, both singular and plural, it expresses order or permission: Let them laugh. - Let them laugh.

Let him do this work.- Let him do the job.
Let them count up to 10.- Let them count to ten.
Let Nick wash your car.- Let Nick wash your car.
Let me pass, I"m a doctor.- Let me through, I'm a doctor.
Let them die.- Let them die.

Don't forget that verb « let"possesses independent meaning « allow», « let in" But in the examples above, he loses it and is used to encourage joint action. In case of use in independent meaning, form " let us» does not shrink. Pay attention to the shades of meaning:

Let's go.- Let (let) us leave.
Let's go(conversational style). Let us go(official style). - Went. Let's go/let's go.

In the case of constructing a negative form of the imperative mood using the verb “ let» option is also possible without auxiliary verb « do»:

Let's not trust him.- Let's not trust him.
Let her not wake up until you count to three.- Don't let her wake up until you count to three.

Indirect speech and imperative mood

Active voice: He said, « Speak louder." - He said: “Speak up.”
Passive voice: He asked to speak louder.- He asked to speak louder.

In indirect speech after the verb « tell» the pronoun is placed, A after the verb « say» — No.

Active voice: He said, « Touch your nose.»
Passive voice: He said to touch my nose.
Passive voice: He told me to touch my nose.

And what's about negative form? In indirect speech in the imperative mood, negation replaced by an infinitive with a particle« not».

Active voice: He said, « Don't open your mouth.»
Passive voice: He asked not to open the mouth.

The rules for constructing the imperative mood in indirect speech are also quite simple. You need to remove the quotes and change the word “ say" on " tell"or something else, depending on the context. When we convey advice or a request to someone, for example, it would be more correct do not use word " say» ( said) to avoid inaccuracies and loss of semantic nuances. Therefore, in such sentences we replace it with the following words: “ told" - said, " asked" - asked, ordered, " ordered" - ordered, " advised" - advised, " allowed"- allowed. For example:

She said, « I advise you to give up." - She said: “I advise you to give up.”

To convey these words to another person, we remove the quotes And change « say" on " advise" It turns out:

She advised me to give up.- She advised me to give up.

When we want to name a person who addressed someone, we put the character after the verb. For example:

He ordered Simon...He ordered Simon...

Notice how pronouns change:

• I - me;
• we- us;
• they - them;
• he- him;
• she- her;
• you - you;
• it - it.

They told us... - They told us...
He wasn't allowed her... - He allowed her ...

Also note the need to replace some pronouns in sentences:

• here - there;
• now - then;
• today - that day;
• tomorrow - the next day;
• yesterday - the day before;
• this, these - that, those.