imperative mood

(noun)

Gives commands or makes requests.

Related Terms

Examples of imperative mood in the following topics:

  • Verb Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, and Imperative

    • In English, there are many grammatical moods, but by far the most common are the indicative, the imperative, the subjunctive, and the conditional.
    • In English, mood is a little different.
    • The imperative mood expresses direct commands, prohibitions, and requests.
    • In the imperative mood, the subject is almost always implied to be "you."
    • [Main clause "I wish" is factual and in indicative mood; dependent clause "Paul would eat" is hypothetical and in subjunctive mood.]

  • Introduction to Verbs: Tense, Aspect, and Mood

    • All verbs have tense, aspect, and mood, of which there is a wide variety of combinations.
    • Verb mood is to the "attitude" of the verb.
    • Mood can be expressed in any verb tense. 
    • The three main moods used in English are indicative, subjunctive, imperative.
    • The subjunctive mood is for hypothetical situations, emotions, or making requests.

  • Ending Punctuation

    • Periods are used at the end of declarative or imperative sentences.
    • Recall that declarative sentences make statements and imperative sentences give commands.
    • (imperative sentence)
    • (declarative sentence containing an imperative statement)
    • A sentence ending in an exclamation mark may be an exclamation, an imperative, or may indicate astonishment.

  • Structure of a Sentence

    • English sentences can also be classified based on their purpose: declarations, interrogatives, exclamations, and imperatives.
    • An imperative sentence tells someone to do something (and may be considered both imperative and exclamatory).
    • Imperatives can be effective in making an argument.
    • You can introduce evidence with an imperative (e.g., "Consider the current immigrant crisis in Europe").
    • You can use an imperative to transition from a counter-argument: "Don't be fooled by this faulty logic."

  • Using Varied Sentence Lengths and Styles

    • Here is an example of imperative sentence: "Go to work. " An imperative sentence, or command, tells someone to do something (and if done strongly, may be considered both imperative and exclamatory).
    • An imperative sentence, or command, tells someone to do something (and may be considered both imperative and exclamatory).

  • Using Metacommentary to Clarify and Elaborate

    • What is Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative?

  • Precision

    • Thus, as a writer, choosing specific words over general words can add description to and change the mood of your writing. 

  • Introduction to Commas

    • If the second independent clause is very short, or if it is an imperative, the comma can be omitted.