Imperatives: giving instructions — Foreign languages, 7–10
Learn how to tell someone what to do, from opening a book to waiting your turn. Foreign languages, 7–10 years.
A verb can be an instruction
In English, an instruction often starts straight with the verb: “Open the window” or “Stand up.” You do not need to say “you” first. Add “don’t” when you want someone not to do something: “Don’t run.”
Why use this short form?
Instructions need to be quick to hear and easy to follow, especially in a classroom, game or emergency. Saying “You open the book” sounds like a statement about a person. “Open the book” makes the job clear at once.
Build an instruction
Suppose you want a friend to put a red pencil on the table. First choose the action: “put”. Add the thing: “Put the red pencil”. Add the place: “Put the red pencil on the table.” To forbid running, say “Don’t run.”
The missing “to”
It is reasonable to say “To open the book”, because “to open” names an action in many sentences. But an instruction uses the plain verb: “Open the book”, not “To open the book”. The word “to” would make it sound like a label or a plan, not a direct command.
Where you meet imperatives
You see imperatives in recipes, board-game rules, signs and safety messages: “Mix the flour”, “Roll the dice”, “Keep left” and “Wear a helmet.” They are useful when the listener already knows that the sentence is an instruction.
Keep exploring
Other languages
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