English grammar

48. Besides declarative and interrogative sentences there is another kind of sentence used when we speak directly to a person for the purpose of telling him what to do; as, “Run into the garden, and fetch me the largest pumpkin you can find.” This is called an imperative sentence.

49. The imperative sentence is often used in giving orders, commands, or directions, but it is used also in giving advice, and in making requests or entreaties; as,—

Fling away ambition.

Kindly reply by return mail.

Give us this day our daily bread.

50. Usually only the predicate of an imperative sentence is expressed, and so the first word of such a sentence is likely to be a verb. The subject is the pronoun you, thou, or ye, signifying the person or persons addressed. It is customary to omit this pronoun, and we say that the subject is “understood.” Occasionally, however, it is expressed in familiar conversation; as, “You go away.” Sometimes, too, in solemn commands the pronoun thou or ye is expressed; as, “Go and do thou likewise.” “Keep ye the law.”

Note that the verb in an imperative sentence commands rather than asserts.

An imperative sentence is frequently preceded by a term of address, but this must not be mistaken for the subject; as, “Father, hear our prayer.”

Summary.—An imperative sentence is one that expresses a command or an entreaty.

The subject of an imperative sentence is the pronoun you, thou, or ye. This pronoun is usually omitted.

Exercise.—Tell what the following imperative sentences denote. Select the predicate verbs, and the subjects whenever they are expressed. Select also the terms of address.

1. Open everything, go everywhere except to this little room.

2. Come and hold this skein of yarn for me.

3. Go and wash Kala Nag, and attend to his ears, and see that there are no thorns in his feet.

4. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.

5. Rouse to some high and holy work of love.

6. Don’t you show your face here with a pocket on you. If your heavy pants have any in ’em, rip ’em out.

7.

Give freely and receive, but take from none

By greed, or force, or fraud, what is his own.

8. Learn to box, to ride, to pull an oar, and to swim.

9. Polly dear, say good morning to Mrs. Chatterton, and then run away.

10. Do the work first which is next at hand.

11.

Turn again, Whittington,

Lord Mayor of London.

12. O Lord of Hosts, provide a champion for thy people.

13.

O brave marsh Mary-buds, rich and yellow,

Give me your money to hold.

14.

O Columbine, open your folded wrapper

Where two twin turtledoves dwell.

15.

O Cuckoopint, toll me the purple clapper

That hangs in your clear, green bell.

Account for the commas in sentences 1, 3, 8, 9, and 11.