1. Imperative Sentences Ed McCorduck English 402--Grammar SUNY Cortland

2. slide 2: characteristics of imperative sentences
give commands or orders
usually have no overt subject (if there is one, it’s normally you)
always have the base form of the verb
English 402: Grammar

3. slide 3: examples of imperative sentences
exx
Bring me a beer.
Be here by midnight.
Shut your mouth.
English 402: Grammar

4. slide 4: examples of imperatives and imperatives with an overt subject
exx
Shut your mouth. / You shut your mouth.
Get the hell out of here. / You get the hell out of here.
English 402: Grammar

5. slide 5: Reed-Kellogg diagrams of imperative sentences
As thus demonstrated, since most imperatives can have an overt subject with you, in Reed-Kellogg diagrams of imperative sentences without an overt subject an x is put in the subject slot on the main horizontal line before the vertical subject/predicate dividing line and the first letter of the first word in the imperative sentence is capitalized.
English 402: Grammar

6. slide 6: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram of an imperative sentence
Reed-Kellogg diagram of Bring me a beer:
English 402: Grammar

7. Reed-Kellogg diagram of Be here by midnight:
slide 7: another example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram of an imperative sentence ex
Reed-Kellogg diagram of Be here by midnight:
English 402: Grammar

8. Reed-Kellogg diagram of You shut your mouth
slide 8: Reed-Kellogg diagram of an imperative sentence with an overt you subject ex
Reed-Kellogg diagram of You shut your mouth
(both imperative and declarative):
English 402: Grammar

9. slide 9: negative imperative sentences
Negative imperative sentences result from the application of the do support transformation and the negative transformation such that do not (usually contracted to don’t in both the spoken and written language) occurs before the base form of the verb:
Don’t bring me a warm beer.
Don’t be cruel.
English 402: Grammar

10. slide 10: negative imperatives with an overt subject
Like other imperative sentences, negative imperative sentences can have an overt subject you, but in negative imperatives this subject occurs after the initial don’t (i.e., the inversion transformation applies):
Don’t touch that. / Don’t you touch that.
Don’t screw around. / Don’t you screw around.
English 402: Grammar

11. slide 11: Reed-Kellogg diagrams of negative imperative sentences
Negative imperative sentences are diagrammed like regular imperative sentences with an x for the unexpressed subject except that don’t is placed along with the main verb after the vertical subject/predicate dividing line (similar to negative declarative sentences with do-support; cf. slide 10 of the “Negative Sentences” lecture).
English 402: Grammar

12. Reed-Kellogg diagram of Don’t touch that:
slide 12: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram of a negative imperative sentence ex
Reed-Kellogg diagram of Don’t touch that:
English 402: Grammar

13. Reed-Kellogg diagram of Don’t you touch that:
slide 13: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a negative imperative sentence with an overt you ex
Reed-Kellogg diagram of Don’t you touch that:
English 402: Grammar