Key points
- Formation: bare infinitive alone, no subject, no conjugation. Open the window. Stop.
- Negative: don’t + bare infinitive. Don’t touch that. Don’t be late.
- Emphatic: do + bare infinitive to insist or sound warm. Do come in!
- Inclusive: let’s + bare infinitive to include the speaker. Let’s go.
- Softening: please, just, do make the imperative more polite or gentle.
- Direct address: a name or title can come before or after the imperative. James, sit down. Sit down, James.
The English imperative is the simplest verb form in the language: one form for all persons, no conjugation, no subject. The bare infinitive is all you need. This structural simplicity contrasts with the wide variety of contexts it covers: commands, advice, instructions, suggestions, invitations and warnings.
Forming the affirmative imperative
The imperative uses the bare infinitive, the infinitive without to. There is no expressed subject. The implicit subject is always you, whether addressing one person or several.
| Verb | Imperative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| open | Open the door. | A direct instruction to open |
| sit | Sit down. | Instruction to take a seat |
| listen | Listen carefully. | Instruction to pay attention |
| be | Be quiet. | Instruction about state or behaviour |
| have | Have a seat. | Polite invitation |
| call | Call me tomorrow. | Request for a future action |
The form is identical whether addressing one person or a group. Unlike many other languages, English uses the same single form eat in both cases, with no distinction between singular and plural address.
Forming the negative imperative
To forbid or advise against an action, place don’t (the contracted form of do not) before the bare infinitive. The long form do not is more formal or emphatic, especially in writing.
| Affirmative imperative | Negative imperative | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Touch that. | Don’t touch that. | Prohibition |
| Be late. | Don’t be late. | Warning |
| Forget your keys. | Don’t forget your keys. | Reminder |
| Worry. | Don’t worry. | Reassurance |
| Open that. | Do not open that. | Formal prohibition |
Never can replace don’t ever to reinforce a prohibition. Both forms are correct, but never is more direct and emphatic.
The emphatic imperative with do
Placing do before the bare infinitive in an affirmative imperative adds emphasis. Depending on context, this can express insistence, a warm invitation, or genuine encouragement. In writing, this form is often accompanied by an exclamation mark.
This construction does not exist in the negative. Negative emphasis is expressed using the long form do not in writing, or through intonation in speech.
Direct address: naming the person
A first name, title or group name can be added before or after the imperative, separated by a comma in both cases. The position affects emphasis: at the start, it identifies the person before the instruction; at the end, it slightly softens the tone.
Uses of the imperative
Giving a command or instruction
Giving advice or a recommendation
Making an invitation or suggestion
Expressing a warning
Written instructions, signs and product labels
The imperative is the standard form for instructions, manuals, recipes and signs. In this context, it is typically written without an exclamation mark, simply informative.
Let’s, let me, let him / her / them
The verb let is used to form imperatives that include the speaker or a third party. These structures are no longer addressed directly to you but propose or permit an action.
Let’s: collective suggestion
Let’s (contraction of let us) includes the speaker in the suggestion. It is the most common form in everyday English. Let us is more formal and mainly found in writing or formal speeches.
| Form | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Let’s + bare infinitive | Let’s go. | Everyday suggestion |
| Let’s + bare infinitive | Let’s have a break. | Proposal including the speaker |
| Let’s not + bare infinitive | Let’s not argue about this. | Negative suggestion |
| Let us + bare infinitive | Let us not forget their sacrifice. | Formal or ceremonial register |
Let me: claiming the action for oneself
Let him / her / them: third-person imperative
Softening the imperative
A bare imperative can sound abrupt, especially in British English where politeness in communication is strongly valued. Several devices soften the tone.
| Softening element | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| please | Please take a seat. | Standard politeness |
| just | Just wait a moment. | Minimises the request, makes it seem trivial |
| do (emphatic) | Do come in. | Warm, positively insistent |
| if you don’t mind | Close the window, if you don’t mind. | Leaves the other person a formal choice |
| would you mind + -ing | Would you mind closing the window? | Indirect request, very gentle |
| could you | Could you pass the salt? | Indirect request, polite |
The difference between Close the window and Could you close the window? is not just grammatical. The first is a direct imperative, the second is a rhetorical question. In both cases the expected action is the same, but the perceived relationship between the speakers changes.
The imperative with phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs follow the same imperative rules, with one important point about pronoun position. When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle. When the object is a noun, both positions are possible.
| Noun object | Pronoun object |
|---|---|
| Turn off the light. or Turn the light off. | Turn it off. ✓ / Turn off it. ✗ |
| Pick up your bag. or Pick your bag up. | Pick it up. ✓ / Pick up it. ✗ |
| Put on your coat. or Put your coat on. | Put it on. ✓ / Put on it. ✗ |
Practice quiz
Test your knowledge of the English imperative:
1. Which is the correct affirmative imperative form for “close the door”?
2. How do you form the negative imperative of “run”?
3. What does the emphatic imperative Do come in! express?
4. Which sentence uses let’s correctly in the negative?
5. Which form of the phrasal verb is correct with a pronoun object?
6. Which sentence most effectively softens a request compared to a bare imperative?
7. Which sentence is typically found on a medication leaflet?
