{"id":272746,"date":"2026-07-16T03:02:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T08:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=272746"},"modified":"2026-07-16T03:02:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T08:02:05","slug":"english-imperatives-instructions-pre-a1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langcom.edu.pe\/fr\/blog\/english-imperatives-instructions-pre-a1\/","title":{"rendered":"English Imperatives: Give Instructions and Commands (Pre-A1)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lc-answer\"><strong>Imperatives give direct instructions or commands.<\/strong> They tell someone what to do or what not to do. We use imperatives every day in English for many situations. For example, when you want someone to listen, you say <span data-no-translation>Listen!<\/span> If you want someone to be quiet, you say <span data-no-translation>Be quiet!<\/span> To make a positive imperative, you simply use the base form of the verb. There is no subject like &#8216;you&#8217; because the command is directly to the person you are speaking to. For negative imperatives, you add <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t<\/span> before the base verb, such as <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t talk!<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t touch!<\/span> Imperatives are very useful for giving simple instructions, warnings, advice, or even polite requests when you add &#8216;please&#8217;. They are a fundamental part of English communication and easy to learn for beginners.<\/div>\n<h2>What Are English Imperatives?<\/h2>\n<p>Imperatives are verbs that give a direct command, instruction, warning, or request.<\/p>\n<p>They are very common in daily English. You will hear them often and use them a lot.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Stop!<\/span> (A command)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Open your book.<\/span> (An instruction)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Be careful!<\/span> (A warning)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-blended\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0E63C4,#0A2540);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\ud83c\udf93 Apprenez l'anglais gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 la m\u00e9thode mixte<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;opacity:.95;\">Petits groupes \u00b7 Tuteur IA disponible 24 h\/24, 7 j\/7 \u00b7 Pr\u00e9paration aux examens de Cambridge<\/p><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;font-size:18px;\">Plans provenant de <strong><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">$<\/span>39<\/bdi><\/span><\/strong> <s style=\"opacity:.6;\"><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">$<\/span>79<\/bdi><\/span><\/s> par mois<\/p><a href=\"\/fr\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;color:#0E63C4;\">R\u00e9servez votre cours<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>How Do You Form Positive Imperatives?<\/h2>\n<p>To make a positive imperative, use the base form of the verb. This is the simplest form of the verb, like <span data-no-translation>go<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>eat<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>listen<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>You do not add &#8216;s&#8217; for &#8216;he\/she\/it&#8217; or &#8216;ing&#8217; for continuous actions. There is no subject (like &#8216;I&#8217;, &#8216;you&#8217;, &#8216;he&#8217;).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Come here.<\/span> (Not &#8216;Comes here&#8217; or &#8216;You come here&#8217;)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Sit down.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Read the instructions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How Do You Form Negative Imperatives?<\/h2>\n<p>To make a negative imperative, add <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t<\/span> before the base form of the verb.<\/p>\n<p><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t<\/span> is a short form of <span data-no-translation>Do not<\/span>. We use <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t<\/span> most of the time.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t talk.<\/span> (Not &#8216;No talk&#8217;)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t open that door.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t be late.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>When Do We Use Imperatives?<\/h2>\n<p>We use imperatives in many situations. They are very versatile.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>To give instructions:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Mix the ingredients.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>To give commands:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Stop running!<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>To give warnings:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Watch out!<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>To give advice:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Eat healthy food.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>To make polite requests (with &#8216;please&#8217;):<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Please wait for me.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<caption>Positive and Negative Imperatives<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Positive Imperative<\/th>\n<th>Negative Imperative<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Look!<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t look!<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Be quiet!<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t be noisy!<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Open the door.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t open the door.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Go there.<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t go there.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Exemples<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Listen to your teacher.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t forget your keys.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Be quiet, please.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t touch the wet paint.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>Go straight and then turn left.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Entra\u00eenement<\/h2>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-235\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"235\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"JR06 L7 GRAMMAR AND SPEAKING Imperatives to give instructions\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-whatsapp\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#3DB16A,#1f8a4c);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\ud83d\udcac Vous avez besoin de conseils personnalis\u00e9s ?<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.95;\">En tant que centre de pr\u00e9paration agr\u00e9\u00e9 par Cambridge, nous pouvons vous aider \u00e0 choisir la formation et la certification qui vous conviennent. Discutez-en d\u00e8s aujourd'hui avec nos conseillers.<\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/51980473286\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;color:#1f8a4c;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discutez avec un conseiller sur WhatsApp<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones<\/h2>\n<p>Spanish speakers sometimes make these mistakes with imperatives:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Using a subject:<\/strong> In Spanish, you often use &#8216;t\u00fa&#8217; or &#8216;usted&#8217; with commands. In English, we do not use &#8216;you&#8217; with imperatives. <br \/> <strong>Wrong:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>You open the door.<\/span> <br \/> <strong>Right:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Open the door.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Using &#8216;No&#8217; instead of &#8216;Don&#8217;t&#8217; for negatives:<\/strong> <br \/> <strong>Wrong:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>No talk.<\/span> <br \/> <strong>Right:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Don&#8217;t talk.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Adding &#8216;to&#8217; before the verb:<\/strong> <br \/> <strong>Wrong:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>To sit down.<\/span> <br \/> <strong>Right:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>Sit down.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Questions fr\u00e9quemment pos\u00e9es<\/h2>\n<h3>What is the main use of an imperative?<\/h3>\n<p>The main use of an imperative is to give a direct command or instruction, like <span data-no-translation>Come here!<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Listen!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Do imperatives have a subject?<\/h3>\n<p>No, imperatives do not have a subject. The command is understood to be for &#8216;you&#8217; (the person listening).<\/p>\n<h3>How do I make an imperative polite?<\/h3>\n<p>To make an imperative polite, add <span data-no-translation>please<\/span> at the beginning or end of the sentence, for example: <span data-no-translation>Please sit down.<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Wait for me, please.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Can I use imperatives for advice?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, you can use imperatives to give advice, such as <span data-no-translation>Study hard for your exam.<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Get enough sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Related lessons<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=272342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Imperatives<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=272343\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Imperatives<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Imperatives give direct instructions or commands. They tell someone what to do or what not to do. We use imperatives every day in English for many situations. For example, when you want someone to listen, you say Listen! If you want someone to be quiet, you say Be quiet! To make a positive imperative, you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":272830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bwfblock_default_font":"","langcom_teaches":"Imperatives","langcom_cefr":"Pre-A1","langcom_type":"grammar","langcom_faq":"[{\"q\": \"What is the main use of an imperative?\", \"a\": \"The main use of an imperative is to give a direct command or instruction, like <span data-no-translation>Come here!<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Listen!<\/span>\"}, {\"q\": \"Do imperatives have a subject?\", \"a\": \"No, imperatives do not have a subject. The command is understood to be for 'you' (the person listening).\"}, {\"q\": \"How do I make an imperative polite?\", \"a\": \"To make an imperative polite, add <span data-no-translation>please<\/span> at the beginning or end of the sentence, for example: <span data-no-translation>Please sit down.<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Wait for me, please.<\/span>\"}, {\"q\": \"Can I use imperatives for advice?\", \"a\": \"Yes, you can use imperatives to give advice, such as <span data-no-translation>Study hard for your exam.<\/span> or <span data-no-translation>Get enough sleep.<\/span>\"}]","rank_math_title":"Learn English Imperatives: Give Instructions (Pre-A1)","rank_math_description":"Master English imperatives for giving commands and instructions at Pre-A1 level. 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