Imperatives

The imperative is the simplest sentence type in English — use the base form of the verb with no subject. That's it. No conjugation, no auxiliary, no tense marking.

• Open the door.
• Don't run.
• Please sit down.

Despite this simple form, imperatives serve 5 different purposes:

The subject "you" is always implied — you never need to say it (except for emphasis, covered later).

Basic Imperatives: Commands, Requests & Warnings

Affirmative Imperatives

Use the base form of the verb — no -s, no -ing, no "to":

The verb form is the same regardless of who you're speaking to — one person, a group, adults, children. There is no singular/plural distinction.

The Imperative of "Be"

The imperative of "be" is simply Be:

• Be careful! The floor is wet.
• Be quiet during the exam.
• Be on time for the meeting.

Negative Imperatives: Don't + Base Verb

To make a prohibition, put Don't before the base verb:

⚠️ The negative of "be" is "Don't be" — never "Not be" or "Doesn't be":

• Don't be late. ✅
• Not be late. ❌

Adding "Please" for Politeness

"Please" makes an imperative sound more polite. It can go at the beginning or end:

• Please finish your homework before class. (beginning)
• Close the door, please. (end)
• Please don't interrupt. (with negative)

Imperatives in Context

Imperatives appear everywhere in daily life:

👉 Practice Basic Imperatives →

Let's, Suggestions & Imperative Patterns

Let's + Base Verb

Let's (= Let us) makes a suggestion that includes yourself and others:

• Let's go for a walk. (I suggest we go together)
• Let's order pizza tonight.
• Let's take a coffee break.

Always use the base form after Let's — no "to", no "-ing", no "-s":

• Let's to go / going / goes ❌ → Let's go ✅

⚠️ Let's vs Lets: "Let's" (with apostrophe) = Let us = suggestion. "Lets" (no apostrophe) = third-person verb: She lets the dog out.

Let's not

The negative is Let's not + base verb:

• Let's not waste time arguing.
• Let's not go out now — it's raining.

"Let's don't" is non-standard. Always use Let's not.

Emphatic Do + Imperative

Adding Do before an imperative creates emphasis — it sounds warmer, more encouraging, or more insistent:

Always / Never + Imperative

Always and Never before an imperative create permanent rules or strong advice:

Never vs Don't: "Never" is stronger and more permanent. "Don't" is a one-time instruction:

• Never sign a contract without reading it. (life rule)
• Don't sign this contract. (this specific one)

Imperative + And / Or

Imperatives combined with and or or create conditional meanings:

Suggestion Forms Compared

There are several ways to make suggestions in English. Each has different grammar:

Note: How about and What about take the -ing form, while the others take the base form.

👉 Practice Let's, Suggestions & Imperative Patterns →

Imperatives vs Modal Advice

At B1 level, it's important to know when to use a direct imperative and when to use modal verbs like should or must.

The Key Difference

Imperatives have no subject — they give a direct instruction. Modal advice has a subject and expresses recommendation or obligation:

Rule: When a sentence has a subject (I, you, she, a manager…), you cannot use a bare imperative — you need a modal verb or other finite form:

• A good manager should always listen. ✅
• A good manager listen always. ❌

Reported Imperatives

When you report what someone told or advised another person to do, the imperative becomes to-infinitive:

For full details on reporting commands and requests, see Reported Commands & Requests.

"You" for Emphasis

Normally imperatives have no subject, but adding "You" creates strong emphasis — often expressing frustration or anger:

• You be on time for once! (I'm frustrated that you're always late)
• You stay right here! (strong command)
• Don't you dare touch that! (threat/warning)

This is informal and emotional — avoid it in polite contexts.

"Don't just" — Urging Action

Don't just + verb tells someone to stop passively doing something and take action:

• Don't just sit there — come and help me!
• Don't just complain — do something about it!

👉 Practice Mixed Imperatives →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quick Summary

The Imperative at a Glance

Suggestion Forms

Practice Tips

1. Remember: imperatives = base verb, nothing else. No -s, no -ing, no "to". If you find yourself adding any ending, stop and use the plain base form.
2. For negatives, always reach for "Don't". It's the only correct way to form a negative imperative. "Not", "No", and "Doesn't" before a verb are never correct for commands.
3. Use "Let's" for group suggestions, not commands. "Let's" includes yourself in the action. If you're telling someone else what to do (without including yourself), use a plain imperative instead.
4. Watch for subjects. If the sentence has a subject (she, the manager, students), you cannot use a bare imperative — you need a modal verb (should, must, have to). Imperatives only work without a subject.

Practice All Exercises

Ready to practise the imperative mood in English online with answers? These imperative exercises cover affirmative and negative imperatives (Don't), polite requests with please, Let's suggestions, emphatic Do-imperatives, Always/Never rules, and the difference between imperatives and modal advice — from A1 to B1. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Printable PDF worksheets are also available:

Now try the exercises to practice what you've learned!