Lesson 15. Commands and Instructions
In this lesson you'll learn the imperative form of verbs. This is the form of the verb that is used when giving instructions, directions, commands, and making requests. You'll also learn some English words related to cities and towns.
The lesson starts with a travel video featuring Vancouver to help you improve your English listening skills.
Grammaire
The Imperative Mood
The imperative mood is used to issue commands, give orders, make requests, or provide instructions.
Forming the Imperative
In English, the imperative uses the base form of the verb (the infinitive without "to"). The subject "you" is understood but omitted. While urgent commands often end with an exclamation mark (!), standard instructions typically end with a period (.). To soften a command into a polite request, you can add the word "Please." However, because the imperative can sometimes sound blunt or forceful, formal requests are often phrased as questions For example, "Could you please...?" rather than direct commands.
| Infinitive | Imperative |
|---|---|
| be | be |
| open | open |
| make | make |
| do | do |
| go | go |
| give | give |
To create a negative command, start the sentence with Don't, followed by the imperative form of the verb.
Exemples
| Give it to me! (command) | Donne le moi! |
| Please give it to me. (request) | S'il vous plaît, donne le moi. |
| Go away! (command) | Allez-vous en |
| Don't go away! (command) | Ne pars pas! |
| Please don't go! (request) | S'il te plaît, ne pars pas. |
| Go straight ahead for two blocks, then turn right on Main street. (instructions) | Continuez tout droit sur deux pâtés de maisons, puis tournez à droite sur 'Main Street'. |
| Hold the flashlight. (command) | Tenez la lampe de poche. |
| Pour in two cups of water. (instructions) | Versez dans deux tasses d'eau. |
| Cook for ten minutes. (instructions) | Cuire pendent dix minutes. |
Giving Directions Example
Go straight ahead for three blocks.
Turn left and keep going until the the traffic light.
Turn right and go for about five blocks.
You'll see a small school.
Walk past the school and turn left.
Keep going for another couple of blocks and you'll see the book store.
Recipe Example
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
Steps
1 Heat oven to 375ºF.
2 Mix sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl.
3 Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff).
4 Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.
5 Put dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
6 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft).
7 Allow to cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet.
8 Place on wire rack and let cool.
Inclusive imperative
The inclusive imperative is a unique form of the imperative mood because it suggests an action that includes the speaker. While a standard imperative like "Go!" directs someone else to move, the inclusive imperative "Let’s go!" means "I am going, and I want you to come with me."
Vocabulaire anglais
Here are some common English words related to cities and towns.
city |
ville |
|
town |
ville |
|
village |
village |
|
downtown |
centre ville |
|
suburbs |
banlieue |
|
sidewalk |
trottoir |
|
street |
rue |
|
crosswalk |
passage pour piétons |
|
bridge |
pont |
|
park |
parc |
|
house |
maison |
|
building |
bâtiment |
|
warehouse |
entrepôt |
|
train station |
gare |
|
subway station |
station de métro |
|
restaurant |
restaurant |
|
supermarket |
supermarché |
|
store |
magasin |
|
theater, theatre |
théâtre |
|
stadium |
stade |
Annonce
Lire l’anglais
Vocabulaire anglais
| umbrella | parapluie |
| sidewalk | trottoir |
| to splash | éclabousser |
| drive | conduire |
| cozy | douillet |
| to explore | explorer |
| to relax | se détendre |
Chapter 4: A Rainy Day
On Wednesday morning, Ana wakes up to the sound of rain. She looks out the window and sees grey clouds covering the sky. She gets ready for school, then goes into the kitchen.
Alejandro is sitting at the table. “It’s really raining today,” he says.
Ana nods. “Wow, it’s so dark outside,” she replies.
They finish their breakfast and put on their jackets. Their friend Sarah gives them two umbrellas.
“You’ll need these,” she says. “Vancouver gets a lot of rain.”
“Thank you,” Ana says.
They walk to the bus stop carefully. The sidewalks are wet, and cars splash water as they drive by. When they get on the bus, everyone looks a little sleepy.
At school, the students talk about the weather.
“It rains a lot here,” Yuki says.
“Yes,” Ana replies. “But I don’t mind. It feels cozy.”
After class, Ana and Alejandro decide to explore West 4th Avenue. They walk past small shops and cafés. The smell of coffee fills the air.
“Let’s go inside,” Alejandro says, pointing to a café with warm lights.
They order hot chocolate and sit by the window. Outside, people walk quickly with umbrellas, trying to stay dry.
“This is nice,” Ana says. “I like rainy days when we can relax.”
“Me too,” Alejandro says. “But I hope it’s sunny again tomorrow.”
They finish their drinks and walk home slowly, enjoying the sound of the rain.
Quiz
Part 1 - Vocabulary
Écrivez le mot anglais.
Part 2 - Imperative Form of Verbs
Écrivez la phrase en utilisant la forme impérative anglaise du mot entre parenthèses.
Exemple
Question: ____ the window. (fermer)
réponse: Close the window.
11) ____ it to me! (donner)
12) Please ____ me some water. (apporter)
13) ____ the door. (ouvrir)
14) ____ for 15 minutes. (cuisiner)
15) ____ the flashlight. (tenir, détenir)
Part 3 - Negative Form of the Imperative
Écrivez la phrase en utilisant la forme négative de l'impératif en utilisant la traduction anglaise du mot entre parenthèses.
Exemple
Question: ____ ____ the window. (fermer)
réponse: Don't close the window.
16) ____ ____ the door. (fermer)
17) ____ ____ by the road. (jouer)
18) ____ ____ late. (être)
19) ____ ____ your jacket. (oublier)
20) ____ ____ until you say goodbye. (aller)
