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The imperative: affirmative and negative forms

Presentation / Objective

 

In English, we use the imperative to give orders, commands, and directions.

For example, in a classroom the teacher usually uses the following expressions:

Classroom

Come to the front and look at the board.

Kheel Center. (2010). Classroom [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, April 24 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kheelcenter/5279510724

Icon of don't write

Don't write.

02_write Morgan, M. (2013). Don't write [ilustration]. Retrieved on 2017, April 24 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/markmorgantrinidad/12588221354

In the following section, you will learn the correct structure to give orders, instructions or politely request something.

Objective:

By the end of this topic you will:
Use the affirmative and negative imperative forms to follow and give instructions, commands and orders in a classroom within school situations.

Content

The imperative

Now let's see how to use imperatives.

Click on each concept to read the information.

Affirmative imperative

"Close the door, Ana. There's a lot of noise outside".

Stand up.
Turn off your cell phone.
Be quiet.

Close the door is an imperative sentence. The sentence means, "Ana, I want you to close the door. I am telling you to close the door."
An imperative sentence uses the simple form of a verb: stand, pay, be, etc.)

Negative imperative

Don't eat in class.
Don't play with your cell phones.
Don't be late.

A negative imperative uses don't+ the simple form of a verb (eat, play, be, etc.)

We use imperatives to give orders, directions and to make requests. To sound more polite, you can add the word please at the end or at the beginning of the sentence.

Order

Stop talking!

Direction

Go to page 65.

Request

Open the window, please.
Please show me your homework.

Now that you have studied when and how to use the imperative, it is time to practice it. Do the reading, writing, listening and speaking activities that follow.

Reading

Activity 1

Language lab rules

In the previous section, you studied the imperative form to give instructions, orders, commands and directions. This activity focuses on rules.

In this activity, you will read ten essential rules of a language laboratory that students have to follow.

Computer lab

E-Hackett. (2015). Rules of a language laboratory [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, August 21 from https://pixabay.com/es/sal%C3%B3n-de-clases-tecnolog%C3%ADa-1541042/

Read the five rules on the top and drag the different images from the bottom to the appropriate space. You have unlimited attempts to answer the exercise. You can know your score at the end of the activity.



Listening

Activity 2

In a classroom

In the content section, you studied the imperative form to give instructions, orders, commands and directions. This activity focuses on giving instructions.

Ph

Tpsdave. (2011). In a classroom [photo]. Retrieved on 2017, August 22 from https://pixabay.com/es/la-escuela-sal%C3%B3n-de-clases-ni%C3%B1os-79612/

In this activity, you will listen to ten everyday situations in a language classroom. First, read the ten instructions the teacher gives. Then listen to the ten audios and identify and match the instruction to each situation. Drag the icon to the correct instruction. You will know your score at the end.



Writing

Activity 3

Classroom instructions

In the content section, you studied the imperative form to give instructions, orders, commands and directions. The following activity focuses on giving instructions.

Write ten imperative sentences to give simple instructions in an English class. Try to include affirmative and negative imperatives. First, look at the images. Then, read the verbs in the box. Next, write the sentences. You can use the images and the verbs or add other ideas.

Collage of classroom instructions

Classroom instructions

answer     close     eat or drink
open     run     sit down     turn on
use    work     write

When you finish writing your imperative sentences, use the rubrics to evaluate them and grade yourself.

Write between 80-100 words. Your sentences do not have to be the same, but they need to follow the same pattern. Verb + Complement.

Speaking

Activity 4

An unruly classroom

In the content section, you studied the imperative form to give instructions, orders, commands and directions. This activity focuses on giving instructions.

Imagine you have this class of eight unruly teenagers and you are the teacher. Give each student a name and an order to have control of the class again. Then, give the whole class two orders or instructions. You should create 10 sentences in total. Use affirmative or negative imperatives.

Classroom
Classroom

For example:

Carlos, don't eat in the classroom.

Remember you can sound more polite if you add please at the beginning or the end of the sentence:

Carlos, don't eat in the classroom, please.

Your audio should last between 40 seconds and one minute.

Listen to the example and compare yours with it. Remember the pronunciation and intonation are essential. After you finish your audio, you can evaluate it with the rubric.

Self-assessment

The imperative

This activity is a quiz that checks how well you can use the imperative in its affirmative (+) and negative (-) forms to give instructions and orders in a classroom.

Look at the verbs in the box. Fill in the blanks with the verbs to make affirmative or negative sentences. Use CAPITAL letters when is necessary.

References

Basic references:

Azar, B. (1996). Basic English Grammar. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
Design A Custom Sign Online Interactively - Custom Printing for Any Event | MakeSigns.com Wide Format Printing. Makesigns.com. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://www.makesigns.com/Signs_Home.aspx
Latham-Koening, C., & Oxenden, C. (2013). American English File 1 Student Book. Oxford: OUP.
Photo Editor | BeFunky: Free Online Photo Editing and Collage Maker. BeFunky. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://www.befunky.com/
Swan, M., & Walter, C. (2011) Oxford English Grammar Course Basic. Oxford: OUP.

Complementary

Imperative - Exercises - Lingolia English. (2017). English.lingolia.com. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://english.lingolia.com/en/grammar/verbs/imperative/exercises
Imperatives - How to give commands in English and more!. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDtaFNLov4Y
Lección de inglés: Imperative Sentences. Curso-ingles.com. Retrieved 11 April 2017, from https://www.curso-ingles.com/aprender/cursos/nivel-basico/sentence-structure/imperative-sentences