A practical english grammar - Vyssaja skola 1978
The imperative
Sound symbols
Commands are expressed in English by the base form of the verb alone.
Come in.
Sit down.
Show me your passport.
In most situations, the command is made more courteous by the use of the word please, which may either precede the imperative verb or follow the verb and its complements.
Please come in. Come in, please.
Please sit down. Sit down, please.
Please show me your passport. Show me your passport, please.
Negative commands use don’t (do not in formal English). Agam, please may either precede don’t or follow the whole verb phrase.
Please don’t make so much noise.
Don’t be late, please.
The person (or persons) to whom the command is addressed can be indicated by putting a noun in front of the verb or by attaching it at the end of the sentence as a vocative expression.
Everybody sit down, please.
Please sit down, everyone.
You men come with me.
Official traffic signs:
PEDESTRIANS CROSS HERE
TRUCKS DO NOT ENTER
In informal English, a noun may be put between don’t and the verb.
Don’t everybody speak at once.
The use of LET'S. The “first-person plural imperative” (a command or suggestion that includes the speaker among its addressees) is formed in English by the use of let’s (let us in formal English) and a base form.
Let’s wait a while longer.
The negative is let’s not:
Let’s not be late.
In informal English, let’s don’t is used, but this is not generally considered correct.
All is often used between let's and the verb to emphasize the inclusiveness of the suggestion.
Let’s all be here at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning.
This use of let’s must be carefully distinguished from let us when let has its ordinary meaning of “allow.”
Let’s go! (a suggestion that includes the speaker).
Let us go! (a command addressed to someone else).
Tag questions with imperatives. With ordinary imperatives, affirmative or negative, the tag question is usually will you?
Come in, will you?
Don’t make so much noise, will you?
After let’s, the tag question is usually shall we?
Let’s wait a while longer, shall we?