Command centre: using imperatives in copywriting
Image: Victor Grabarczyk from Unsplash
Of the four kinds of English sentences – declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative – the imperative might be the one you use least in your writing. It can be tricky to tell someone what to do without sounding blunt, even rude.
Typically used for a command, request or instruction, at its most fundamental the imperative requires just a single verb in the second person expressed in its root form. As a new dog owner, I have been using simple commands like:
Come.
Drop.
Sit.
Imperatives in this form are often followed by an exclamation mark, and many of my dog park commands contain an implied one.
While a single-word command might be fine for puppy training, if you use the imperative in your interactions with people, it’s usually best to take a more nuanced approach.
You can soften a blunt imperative verb with a polite word or two and some clarifying information. To a command like ‘come’ you can add ‘please’ and additional instructions or information, to form a sentence like this:
Please come to my office, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.
This is an example of the ‘positive’ imperative.
A ‘negative’ imperative includes phrases like ‘don’t’ or ‘never’. These too can be softened by adding more detail or a polite modifier, for example:
Please don’t call after 5 pm.
Remember, never rush through an edit.
You can add conditions to imperatives that refine the scope of the sentence, for example, by adding ‘if’ clauses:
If you have any questions, please call us on 123 456.
If you wish to speak to a staff member, please don’t call after 5 pm.
These sentences – while being imperative and conveying an instruction – feel a long way removed from the blunt way I command my dog.
The simplest way to soften the tone of an imperative sentence is to use an adverb in front of the verb. Some writers suggest that adverbs are wasted words, but an adverb can adsorb a lot of assumed forcefulness that comes with a command. Compare these sentences with and without the adverb:
Scan the area for hazards.
Carefully scan the area for hazards.
You can overcorrect with politeness, to the point where you are requesting rather than commanding:
Could you have the report ready by Friday?
This is an interrogative, rather than imperative, sentence, which creates more space for a ‘no’ response. A better way to frame this directive is:
Please have the report ready for Friday.
When it comes to my dog, nuanced commands aren’t effective – she doesn’t respond to polite requests, suggestions or elaborate qualifications. But for copywriting and editing purposes, knowing how to write instructions that are clear, firm, yet neutral in tone, can be a real asset.
