Category: Class

Imperatives tell people what to do.

The root form of the verb alone can sometimes create imperative sentences.

Examples:
“Stop!”
“Shoot!”
“Fire!”

To make the imperative, use the root form of the verb.

Examples:
“Stay right there!”
“Take out the trash.”
“Pass me the salt, please.”

Negative imperative simply adds “do not” before the verb.

Examples:
“Don’t go there.”
“Don’t jump!”
“Don’t stay up late.”

If the speaker is included in the imperative, you can use “let’s” or “let us” before the verb.

Examples:
“Let’s dance.”
“Let’s go now.”
“Let us do it.”

Determining Imperative Sentences

Most imperative sentences end with a period or an exclamation mark.

Usually, command/imperative verbs are at the start of the sentences.

Examples:
“Take care!”
“Be brave.”
“Listen to me.”

Imperative sentences generally do not have a grammatical subject because it always take the second person (you) for the subject.

Imperatives are used for many different reasons.

1. To give orders or commands.

Examples:
“Get out!”
“Stay where you are.”
“Do not make a sound.”

2. To give warnings or instructions.

Examples:
“Watch out!”
“Keep going straight.”
“Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.”

3. To give advice.

Examples:
“You don’t look well. Go see a doctor.”
“Make sure to settle your bills on time.”
“Don’t worry about her.“

4. Making a request or wish.

Examples:
“Please wait outside.”
“Please follow the rules.”
“Have fun at the party!“

Special Cases of Imperative

With “do”

We add “do” before the imperative to make the sentence more polite.

Examples:
“Do make yourself at home.”
“Do understand the situation.”
“Do let go.”

With never, ever, always

Just like “do”, the words never, ever and always come before imperatives.

Examples:

“Never do that again.”
“Don’t ever talk back to your parents.”
“Always remember that.”

Imperative with subject

Sometimes imperative clearly includes the subject.

Examples:
“Somebody answer the door!”
“You stay out of it!”
“Everybody run!”

When and How Long ask for different things.

When usually asks for a specific point in time.

How long asks for duration of time, with a beginning to an end point.

When and how long often use different tenses and different verbs.

We can use the present perfect tense when talking about the connection of the present to the past. This tense is used to talk about actions that started in the past and is still ongoing and is most likely to continue in the future. For “how long” we usually use the present perfect tense.

There are “action” verbs that refer to actions or events that occur at a particular time, normally only once. In this context, these “action” verbs cannot be used with “how long” or expressing duration and should only be used with “when”. In this case, we use “status” verbs to show condition existing over a period time.

Examples:

Some common action/status pairs are as follows:

Using an “action” verb to indicate something that takes place over a period of time is a usual error.

Examples:

How long have you found out about his infidelity? X

How long have you known about his infidelity?

How long has she fell asleep? X

How long has she been sleeping?

How long have you bought the truck? X

How long have you had that truck?

Notice that all the statements above are using the present perfect tense which implies an ongoing occurrence. In the last sentence, it is talking about “still owning the truck”. Therefore, you have to use a “status” verb. In this case, instead of “buy” we use “have”.

( “Buy ” is an action verb therefore it cannot indicate something that has been happening over a period of time.)

We can also use “how long” to talk about events/situations that transpired completely in the past.

Examples:

Aside from length of time, “how long” can also be used to answer measured length of something.

Examples:

How long do you want your hair to be?

How long was the skirt she was wearing at the party?

How long is the bridge?