Understanding English Imperative Sentences
English imperative sentences function as directives or commands, characterized by having no overt subject noun phrase, using an implicit second-person pronoun (you) as the subject, being tenseless with the base form of the verb, always indicating future actions, and not occurring in subordinate clauses. There are five types of imperatives discussed: those with no overt subjects, explicit subjects, with "let," negative imperatives, and do plus positive imperatives.
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ENGLISH IMPERATIVE SENTENCES HAVE THE FUNCTION OF DIRECTIVES OR COMMANDS. THEY HAVE FIVE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: 1. THEY GENERALLY HAVE NO OVERT SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE; THE SUBJECT IS AN IMPLICIT 2ND PERSON PRONOUN (YOU). 2. THEY SOMETIMES HAVE AN EXPLICIT SUBJECT: YOU GO OUT!
3. THEY ARE TENSELESS. THAT IS, THE BASE FORM OF THE VERB IS USED: BE QUIET! 4. THE REQUIRED ACTION IS ALWAYS IN THE FUTURE. 5. THEY DO NOT OCCUR IN SUBORDINATE CLAUSES.
TYPES OF IMPERATIVES FIVE TYPES OF IMPERATIVES ARE DISCUSSED: 1. IMPERATIVE WITH NO OVERT SUBJECTS 2. IMPERATIVES WITH EXPLICIT SUBJECTS 3. IMPERATIVES WITH LET 4. NEGATIVE IMPERATIVES 5. DO PLUS POSITIVE IMPERATIVES
(1) IMPERATIVES WITH NO OVERT SUBJECT GO AWAY. OPEN THE WINDOW, PLEASE. BE REASONABLE.
(2) IMPERATIVES WITH EXPLICIT SUBJECTS EITHER SECOND OR THIRD PERSON SUBJECTS MAY APPEAR IN IMPERATIVES, WHICH ARE USUALLY USED TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS, TO AVOID AMBIGUITY OR TO EXPRESS IRRITATION: YOU GO OUT. SOMEONE OPEN THE WINDOW. NOBODY MOVE. YOU BE QUIET. YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. YOU COME HERE JACK, AND YOU GO OVER THERE MARY.
IMPERATIVES WITH "LET" THESE ARE CALLED INCLUSIVE IMPERATIVE. THEY EXPRESS SUGGESTIONS OR OFFERS. THE ACTION IS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE SPEAKER AND SOMEONE ELSE. LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES. LET US PRAY. LET US HAVE AN INTERESTING LECTURE. (3)
(4) NEGATIVE IMPERATIVES THESE EXPRESS PROHIBITIONS AND EXHORTATIONS. DON'T (YOU) BE LATE. DON'T ANYONE OPEN THE DOOR. LET'S NOT CRY OVER SPILLED MILK. NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.
(5)DO PLUS POSITIVE IMPERATIVES THESE ARE PERSUASIVE/INSISTENT IMPERATIVES. DO HAVE SOME MORE TEA. DO LET US GO TO THE THEATRE.
ARABIC IMPERATIVES THE ARABIC IMPERATIVE HAS TWO FORMS: DIRECT AND INDIRECT. DIRECT: IT IS EXPRESSED BY THE VERB OF COMMAND:
INDIRECT: IT IS EXPRESSED BY: (1) FOLLOWED BY THE IMPERFECT IN THE JUSSIVE MOOD. ) ) ) ( ( (
( 2 ) NOMINAL VERB OF COMMAND )......... (
( 3 ) VERB OF COMMAND NOMINAL SUBSTITUTE ) ) ( (
EXCLAMATIVES ENGLISH EXCLAMATIVES ARE INTRODUCED BY THE WH-ELEMENTS "WHAT" OR "HOW". THE INITIAL POSITIONING OF THE WH-ELEMENT DOES NOT TRIGGER AUXILIARY-SUBJECT INVERSION. 1. WH PLUS NP: WHAT A NICE SHIRT (IT IS)! 2. HOW PLUS ADJECTIVE OR ADVERBIAL CLAUSE HOW ENCOURAGING! HOW QUICKLY HE RUNS! HOW FOOLISH HE IS!
ARABIC EXCLAMATIVES ARABIC EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES EXPRESS SURPRISE, ADMIRATION OR WONDER. THEY APPEAR IN TWO CONSTRUCTIONS: 1. THE EXCLAMATORY PARTICLE MAA FOLLOWED BY A VERB OF ADMIRATION IN THE PERFECT. ! !
2 . IMPERATIVE FORM OF THE VERB OF ADMIRATION FOLLOWED BY THE PREPOSITION ! ARABIC HAS OTHER FORMS OF EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES: ! ! ! ! `
HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN AN EXCLAMATORY QUESTION AND AN EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE?
EXCLAMATIVE SENTENCES ARE INTRODUCED BY WH-ELEMENT (WHAT / HOW). NO AUXILIARY SUBJECT INVERSION RULE IS FOUND. WHAT A NICE DRESS IT IS! HOW INTERESTING IT WAS! EXCLAMATORY QUESTIONS ARE MARKED BY AUXILIARY SUBJECT INVERSION RULE. ISN T THIS FUN?
