Imperatives

Verb tenses

1. The imperative

The imperative is mainly used to give commands, orders, instructions, warnings...

Orders

Clean your teeth, now!

Instructions

Open your books.

Warnings

Don't feed the animals.

2. How do we use the imperative?

• Affirmative form
  
  In affirmative sentences, we use the verb in infinitive followed or not by a complement. There's no subject because it is understood that it is you.
  

  

  Look!

  

  Call the police!
• Negative form
  
  In negative sentences, we use the form don't (or do + not) followed by the verb in the infinitive.
  

  

  Don't play inside the house!

  

  Do not talk.

3. Other uses of the imperative

The imperative can also be used in the following cases:

Invitations

Come to the party tonight.

Ask for help

Help!

Advice

Be polite to your father.

If we want to express a request in a friendly way, we can put the auxiliary do or the word please at the beginning of the sentence:

Do be quiet.

Please, sit down.

4. Let's

Let's (contracted form of let us) is a very common imperative form that is used when we include ourselves in the sentence. It is usually used to make invitations or suggestions when we want someone to do something with us, but it cannot be considered an order.

• Affirmative form
  
  In affirmative sentences we will put let's followed by a verb in the infinitive and a complement.
  

  

  Let's go out tonight!

  

  Let's watch a film.
• Negative form
  In negative sentences, we will use the let's construction followed by the particle not, plus the verb in the infinitive and the complement.
  

  

  Let's not talk about it.

  

  Let's not smoke here.

Remember!