IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

The Imperative Sentence

Learn About It

An imperative sentence gives a command. It usually end with a period, but it may also end with an exclamation point (!).
Commands ask or tell people to do something.
"Please pass the salt." is a command. It doesn't sound as commanding as "Get out of my way!"
But, both of these sentences are imperatives because they are both asking or telling someone to do something.

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Finding the Subject

This may sound strange, but every single command has the same subject! Yikes! How is that even possible?
Well, since commands are always speaking to someone or something (you've got to address them if you're going to ask them to do something), the subject is always the word you.
You may have noticed, the word "you" is not even in a command. Because of this, the subject is actually called you understood, and it is written like this: (you)
This means that the subject is the word you, but since it is not written or spoken in the sentence, it is understood and is therefore in parentheses.

Imperative	Subject
Please find my yellow leotard.	(you)
Shut the door!	(you)
Be there at 5:00.	(you)

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Diagramming Commands

You'll notice that every command has the same subject, (you).
Please find my yellow leotard.
Shut the door!
Be there at 5:00.

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Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are sentences that request the person we are speaking to to do or not to do something. Based on the intonation used, imperative sentences can be divided into commands, requests, invitations and warnings:

Duduk! Duduklah. Tolong ambilkan buku saya. Silakan duduk. Izinkan saya menyampaikan sepatah dua patah kata. Harap Anda tunggu di luar. Mari kita makan sekarang. Ayo, habiskan kue itu. Jangan buang sampah di sini. Awas ada anjing.

Sit. Do sit. Please get me my book. Please sit down. Allow me to say one or two words. Please wait outside. Let’s eat now. Come, finish the cake. Don’t through rubbish here. Beware of dog.

Command Command, more polite Request Request Request Request Invitation Invitation Warning Warning

When people form sentences, they do many things, they ask questions, make requests, make statements, or they exclaim a powerful feeling or emotion. Because sentences convey statements, requests, strong emotion, and  questions they can be categorized into four different types of sentences; declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.

Declarative sentences in the English language are the sentences that form a statement;

Tomorrow I will go to the store.
Yesterday I left school early.
I told her to wear the blue skirt.
She did not want to eat the pizza that I gave her.
We walked to the mall together.

Interrogative sentences in the English language are the sentences that form a question;

What do you think I should wear the pink shoes or the white sneakers?
What did the teacher say to you yesterday?
Did you go to the movies yesterday?

Imperative sentences in the English language are the sentences that make a command or request;

Get me some water.
Leave that cat alone.
Go to the store for me.
Bring me some ice.

Did you know that many people assume that imperative sentences have no subject when they really do, the subject of imperative sentences is always you, since in these type of sentences, the person that is making the command or request is always asking you to do something. For this reason, the subject in imperative sentences is called you (understood) because, all though the subject may not be visible in the sentence, it is understood that the subject is always you.

To get a clearer understanding, check these sentences out;

(You) get me some water.
(You) leave the cat alone.
(You) go to the store for me.
(You) Bring me some ice.

Exclamatory sentences in the English language are the sentences that attempt to powerful feelings, or emotions;

I'm leaving!
I can not wait to graduate!
I love you so much!
We beat that other team good!
I can't believe how tall giraffes really are!
I can't believe this, I am so upset!