What Are Imperative Words? Imperative Verbs and Grammar Rules
If you’ve ever said, “Put that down!” or “Don’t touch that!”, congratulations—you’ve already mastered the art of imperative verbs. These are the action-packed words that make instructions, commands and advice possible. Whether you’re asking politely or shouting from across the room, imperative words are working hard to make your message clear.
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about imperative verbs. We’ll explain what they are, how to identify them, common examples, rules and how to teach imperatives to kids. By the end, you’ll not only understand them better, but have the tools to help your child tackle them with confidence.
So let’s get started. Or should we say, “start now!”.
What are imperative words?
Imperative words, also known as imperative verbs, are action words used to give commands, instructions or advice. They’re like the bosses of the verb family—direct, authoritative and always ready to get straight to the point. What makes imperative verbs special is they don’t bother with a subject like “I” or “you.” Instead, the subject is implied.
So, what does this mean in practice? Let’s start with a few examples.
- “Stop talking.”
- “Turn left.”
- “Be careful.”
In these examples, the verb (“stop,” “turn,” “be”) takes centre stage, while the subject (“you”) is quietly understood. These words can be firm or gentle, depending on your tone—but either way, they’re all about action.
Imperatives often appear on verbal reasoning and comprehension sections of grammar school and private school entrance exams, as well as SATs and later GCSE and A Level English. So whatever Key Stage your child is at, they’re important to know about.
What are five examples of imperatives?
Here are five examples of imperative sentences you’ve probably used (or heard) before:
- “Close the door.”
- “Pay attention.”
- “Don’t touch that.”
- “Stand still.”
- “Write your name here.”
Notice how these sentences start with a verb and jump straight into action. There’s no time wasted on fluff or niceties—imperative sentences are great at getting straight to the point.
That said, you can include additional words to “soften” imperative sentences. For instance, these examples are still imperatives even though they’re more polite.
- “Please pass me the salt.”
- “Kindly take a seat.”
- “Do help yourself to some cake.”
- “If you don’t mind, lower your voice a little.”
How do you identify an imperative sentence?
The good news is imperative sentences are some of the easiest to recognise in English. They’re the ones telling someone to do something, whether it’s a command, request, instruction or advice. Unlike other sentences, they don’t need a clear subject because it’s understood to be “you.” This makes them easy to spot once you know what to look for.
Here are some key features to help you identify imperative sentences:
- Look for a verb at the start: Imperative sentences usually begin with an action word (verb). If the verb isn’t right at the beginning, it’s usually near the start of the sentence.
- Check for implied subjects: If there’s no explicit mention of “I” or “you” but it’s clear the sentence is directed at someone, it’s often an imperative.
- Notice the tone: Imperative sentences can sound firm, instructional, polite or encouraging, depending on how they’re phrased.
- Check the punctuation: Most imperative sentences end with a full stop, but when urgency or strong emotion is needed, they can end with an exclamation mark (e.g., “Run!” or “Watch out!”).
For more help with English spelling and grammar topics, don’t miss our guides to fronted adverbials, homophones, subordinate clauses and connectives.
What are ten examples of an imperative sentence?
Imperative sentences come in different forms, depending on the situation. While they all tell someone to do something, they can vary in tone and purpose. Broadly speaking, imperative sentences fall into five main categories:
- Commands: Giving direct orders, often firm and authoritative. (“Sit down immediately.”). They might also be inspirational (“Vote Now!”)—often used in speech writing.
- Requests: Asking someone to do something politely. (“Please open the window.”)
- Advice: Offering guidance or recommendations. (“Drink plenty of water.”)
- Suggestions: Encouraging an action without forcing it. (“Try adding some lemon—it’ll taste better.”)
- Instructions: Providing step-by-step guidance. (“Turn left at the next junction.”)
Learning to identify the different types of imperatives—commands, requests, advice, suggestions and instructions—makes communication clearer and more effective. This is especially helpful when teaching children to follow directions or understand tone in writing.
Here are ten imperative sentence examples—can you work-out which type each one is? This is a great exercise if you’re helping your child understand different sentence types:
- “Stop making that noise.”
- “Please help me carry these bags.”
- “Take a break if you’re feeling tired.”
- “Visit the new café in town!”
- “Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.”
- “Close the door behind you.”
- “Kindly send me the report by noon.”
- “Walk instead of driving—it’s healthier.”
- “Try reading before bed to relax.”
- “Press the red button to start.”
What’s the difference between verbs and imperative verbs?
To understand imperative verbs, it helps to know what regular verbs are. Verbs are action words that describe what someone or something is doing, thinking or being. For example:
- Action verbs: run, jump, eat.
- State verbs: think, believe, know.
Imperative verbs are a special type of verb used to give instructions or commands. What sets them apart is:
- They always appear in their base form (e.g., “sit” instead of “sitting”).
- Unlike most sentences that follow a Subject-Verb-Object pattern, they don’t need a subject because the subject is implied (e.g., “Sit down” means “You sit down”).
Think of it this way: regular verbs describe an action, but imperative verbs demand the action happens right now.
What are imperative verbs for kids?
When teaching kids about imperative verbs (whether homeschooling or helping with homework), keep things clear, engaging and interactive. You can explain that these are “bossy words”—verbs that give commands, instructions or requests. Since children love feeling like they’re in charge, encourage them to think of themselves as the “boss” when using these words!
Here are some examples children will easily recognise:
- “Run!”
- “Stop!”
- “Draw a picture.”
- “Pick up your toys.”
- “Share with your friend.”
Imperative verbs aren’t just used for giving strict orders—they can also be friendly suggestions (“Have fun!”), polite requests (“Please pass the ball”) or instructions (“Mix the flour and eggs”). Combined with powerful adjectives, ambitious vocabulary, engaging character descriptions and a wide range of reading, they can help children improve their creative writing and mix-up their sentence structure.
A great way to teach imperative verbs is through movement. By using actions, children can see how these words create an immediate response, making them easier to understand. Try turning it into a game:
- Give your child a list of imperative verbs and have them act out each one.
- Play “Simon Says” using only imperative verbs (“Simon says jump!”).
- Encourage them to give commands to a toy or a pet (“Sit, teddy!”).
- Once you’ve mastered this, can they spot them in everyday writing? For instance, instructions in a recipe or school homework.
What’s an example of an imperative verb?
When explaining imperative verbs to kids, it’s helpful to show how they change the meaning of a sentence. For example, take the verb “jump.”
- Regular verb: “She jumps over the puddle.” (Describes what someone is doing.)
- Imperative verb: “Jump over the puddle!” (Gives a direct command.)
See the difference? The imperative form drops the subject (“she”) and starts with the verb, making it more direct and action-focused.
Here’s another example:
- Regular verb: “He writes a letter.”
- Imperative verb: “Write a letter to Grandma.”
This works because imperative verbs tell someone exactly what to do, without needing “I,” “you,” or “he/she” at the beginning.
Teaching kids this small but powerful change can help them understand how verbs work in different ways—and make learning grammar much more fun. It’s an important part of Year 2 and Year 6 SATs preparation, as well as a common theme in 11+ English exams. In secondary school, you’ll also find questions relating to imperatives crop up in Year 7 CATs and even GCSE and A Level English Language and Literature. So they really are important!
What are the rules for imperative words?
Now we’ve explored imperative verbs and how to teach them, here are the final rules to remember. While imperative words might seem simple, they follow specific patterns that make them effective for giving commands, instructions and requests.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Use the base form: Always use the verb in its simplest form—no -ing or -ed endings. For example, say “Walk to the door,” not “Walking to the door” or “Walked to the door.”
- No subject needed: The subject (“you”) is understood, so it’s normally left out. Instead of “You pick up your toys,” it’s “Pick up your toys.”
- Be direct and concise: Imperatives get straight to the point. Rather than asking “Can you open the window?”, an imperative form would be “Open the window.”
- Can be negative: Use “don’t” to turn an imperative into a negative command. For example, “Don’t run in the hallways.”
- Different tones for different situations: Imperatives can sound firm (“Stop talking.”), polite (“Please take a seat.”), or encouraging (“Have a great day!”).
Does your child need help with English?
Imperative verbs are a key part of clear and confident communication. Whether your child is working on grammar homework, learning how to express themselves or just having fun with language, mastering these “bossy words” can make a big difference.
At Achieve Learning, we support students at every stage—from Year 2 and Year 6 SATs, 11+ preparation and GCSE English tuition to reading and library support. With expert guidance and personalised lessons, we help your child build strong language skills that set them up for success. Get in touch today to see how we can help!
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