Using Imperatives

Imperatives are often used to give commands but there is a variety that these commands may be interpreted. One generally thinks of only being told what to do or what instructions to follow but a command may be interpreted as advice.

A softer form of the imperative when associated to giving is also used to offer things, such as saying, “Have a cookie.” Another use may be associated to wishing someone a good trip, as in “Have a good trip” and of course one is not telling the person how to spend his holidays.

When learning the form of imperative statements, the more words that are used with the command or prompt the more information the listener can understand. So if the person says only “Help!” the listener will not necessarily know in what contact. If the speaker says, “Help, I’m drowning,” then the speaker has a better idea of the problem. This is most often common sense.

Commands are given in the negative too with “don’t” and that is generally not used on it’s own unless it is taken in context with a preceding event that prompted the negation from the speaker and the listener knows what he is not supposed to do. It is often followed by an infinitive and adjective as in “Don’t be angry with me,” or a verb and a prepositional phrase without an adjective as in “Don’t wait for me.”