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different time-reference and different aspective characteristics. Therefore the indicative mood has a wide
variety of tense and aspect forms in the active and passive voice.
The imperative mood
§ 75. The imperative mood expresses a command or a request to perform an action addressed to somebody,
but not the action itself. As it does not actually denote an action as a real act, it has no tense category; the
unfulfilled action always refers to the future. Aspect distinctions and voice distinctions are not characteristic of
the imperative mood, although forms such as, be writing, be warned sometimes occur.
The imperative mood form coincides with the plain stem of the verb, for example: Come here! Sit down.
The negative form is built by means of the auxiliary do + the negative particle not (the contracted form is
don’t). This form is always addressed to the second person.
Do not take it away.
Don’t worry about the child.
Don’t be a fool.
Note:
Do is also used in commands or requests to make them more emphatic: Do come and stay with us. Do be
quiet.
In commands and requests addressed to a first or third person (or persons) the analytical form let +
infinitive without the particle to is used. The verb let functions as an auxiliary, and it partly loses its lexical
meaning. The person addressed is expressed by the personal pronoun in the objective case.
Let us go together.
Let him finish his dinner first.
Let Andrew do it himself.
In negative sentences the analytical forms take the particle not without an auxiliary.
Let us not argue on the matter.
Let him not overestimate his chances.
Let her not go any further.
Note:
In sentences like Don’t let him go the negation refers to the verb let, which in this case fully retains its
original meaning of permission.
The analytical forms differ in meaning from the synthetic forms, because their meaning is closely connected
with the meaning of the pronoun included in the form. Thus let us do smth denotes an invitation to a joint
action, not an order or a request. Let him do it retains to some extent the meaning of permission. In the form let
me (let me do it) the first person singular does not convey any imperative meaning and should not therefore be
regarded as the imperative. It conveys the meaning of I am eager to do it, allow me to do it.
The imperative mood form can’t be used in questions.
The subjunctive mood
§ 76. The subjunctive mood is the category of the verb which is used to express non-facts: unreal or
hypothetical actions or states. A hypothetical action or state may be viewed upon as desired, necessary,
possible, supposed, imaginary, or contradicting reality.