Imperative Sentence:
is a sentence which is used to give orders, advice, instructions, requests and commands. An exclamation mark (!) is used at the end of this sentence when there is a strong force to the expression, but for the other ‘not so strong expressions’ a full stop (.) is used.
e.g.
Go away.
Shut up and listen to me!
Help me with these bags, please.
In the examples above, the subject part is not mentioned, i.e. no noun or pronoun is used before the predicate part because any ‘order, advice, command, request, etc.’ is given to the listener (the 2nd person pronoun – YOU) and so, no need to mention it directly.
The subject of the imperative sentence ‘you’ is not mentioned but understood.
However, when the listener is not paying any attention to the speaker or doing something else so there is no chance of knowing that he/she is being addressed, the speaker may use the pronoun ‘you’ to get that person’s attention.
e.g.
“You there, don’t spit on the floor!”
This way of addressing somebody is considered rude by some people; therefore, we must be careful not to offend others!
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Author: B C Kumar
Mr. Kumar, an English language teacher, having taught in many countries around the world including Ethiopia and Oman shares this English Language Reference website using material that he has written and compiled during the past 20 years.
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