English grammar - Roger Berry 2012

B9.5 Form and function
B9 Clause types
Section B Development

We have seen throughout this section cases where the grammatical form of clause types does not match their function. For example, we saw that interrogatives and questions do not match exactly. The same is true for imperatives. Traditionally their function is said to be as orders or commands, but this is far too limiting. Imperatives can also constitute

□ offers: Have a seat.

□ invitations: Please come tonight.

□ wishes: Have a good time.

□ suggestions: Try the other door.

Generally we could characterise them as ’directives’, i.e. ’speech acts’ that try to direct behaviour (see D9). But there is not a one-to-one correspondence between imperatives and directives. There are other forms of directives which are not imperatives:

The door is open. (a declarative, designed to get someone to close the door)

Can you close the door, please? (an interrogative)

Why don’t you close the door? (a negative interrogative)

And there are imperatives that are not directives:

Laugh and the whole world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone.

Activity B9.4

Which of the two responses to these interrogatives is appropriate in terms of functions (or speech acts)?