Imperative verbs are used as commands or instructions in English. They are sometimes called “command words” and may be considered bossy or authoritative, as they are typically used to tell someone what to do. However, they can also just urge people towards an action, provide neutral instructions or offer advice.

This article covers the various aspects of imperatives – read on to learn more! (Tip: “read on” is in the imperative!)

What is an imperative verb or imperative sentence?

Though there are plenty of verbs we might commonly associate with the imperative, what makes something an imperative verb is how it is used without a subject or conjugation. Compare:

He stopped the car. (past simple)
Stop the car! (imperative)

When we remove a subject and start with a verb in this way, we create an instruction, for when we want someone or something to do the action described. This is more direct than a question:

Can you stop the car?

However, the imperative can still be softened and polite, such as if you use words like “please”:

Please stop the car.

The context of using the imperative may also make it less commanding. It may be used for directions, instructions, advice or warnings:

Take the next left to get to the library. (directions)
Leave the stew to simmer for 30 minutes. (instructions)
Remember to pack your swimming costume. (advice)
Watch out for falling bricks. (warning)
Please leave a review of my books! (request)

Imperative verbs can be used on their own, too, making it possible to create a complete imperative sentence with only one word.

Stop!
Wait!
Hurry!

On the other hand, while imperatives don’t require a subject, imperative sentences can be made clearer with adverbials or additional phrases that indicate who is being addressed, and can be used in longer and more complicated sentences.

Excuse me madam, please step aside.
Hey Billy, check out this article I wrote while I was staying in Taiwan last month.

You can spot imperative verbs, though, as they are not directly connected to a subject. Consider these alternatives:

Billy needs to read this. (”Billy” is the subject, with “needs” as declarative)
Billy, can you read this? (“you” is the subject, with “can/read” as interrogative)
Billy, read this. (imperative, with “Billy” as an additional address)

Imperative Verbs and Tenses

As imperative verbs encourage an action rather than describe it being done, they are not connected to a subject and therefore do not change. Imperatives essentially always occur in the present simple, therefore, as a command being made in the moment, though without conjugation we actually just use the bare infinitive form of the verb. They can give future instructions, however, with a time.

Come to the pub tomorrow evening, Jack.

When you apply tenses to imperative statements, they stop being imperative, to either describe the action’s state of completion, or to form a different kind of phrase, such as an object of another verb.

Stop the car! (“stop” in the imperative)
He stopped the car. (“stop” in the past simple)
He must stop the car. (“stop” as part of a modal verb phrase)
She asked him to stop the car. (“to stop” as part of an object phrase)

Imperatives in the Positive and Negative

While imperative statements don’t change tense, they can be positive/affirmative or negative. A negative imperative is formed by adding the auxiliary “Do not” or “Don’t” before the verb:

Don’t stop the car!

Adverbs can also be used to vary our imperatives, relating to frequency or how something is done.

Never eat those mushrooms.
Always say thank you.
Quickly pack your bags.
Hand me the scissors, carefully.

We can also use negative/restrictive verbs to create imperatives encouraging someone not to do something. We’ve already been using the verb “stop”, which could be combined with another verb in the progressive form, making it appear like a progressive statement. Similarly, we could use “quit”:

Stop biting your nails.
Quit talking so loudly.

However, the imperative verb here is the action that instructs, “stop” or “quit”, not the progressive form that describes what is being done.

Imperatives and the Passive Voice

As with the tenses, because imperative verbs are used with no subject, they are always in the active tense, giving a direct command. However, certain verbs can be used followed by the passive voice to create a passive imperative statement, such as “let”, such as for offering permissions or wishing for something. These uses are much softer/more indirect than typical imperative commands, creating distance between the speaker and the command (i.e. suggesting an instruction, but not necessarily directly assigning it to someone).

Let them be paid. (someone else will pay them)
Let the weather be good! (hoping for it)

Imperative Positions

Imperatives often come in short sentences, and start sentences, which makes them quite simple. However, they can also come later in a sentence, as conditional imperatives or object clauses: