|
|
Wed Aug 16, 2006 16:57 pm Examples |
|
|
Hi,
The positive imperative is: Be careful of the dog!
The negative imperative is: Don't be careful of the dog!
For emphasis you could say for the positive imperative: Do be careful of the dog!
For the negative, although it does sound a little absurd, you could say: Whatever you do, don't be careful of the dog!
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Not Really |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 6924 Location: UK
|
|
Wed Aug 16, 2006 17:11 pm Examples |
|
|
Dear Sir,
In my class, my teacher gave this example:
Negative form: Don't talk in class! Emphatic: Don't you talk in class! (talk: ordinary verb)
Please tell me again if it is sure that we don't say:
Don't you be careful of the dog! (be: liking verb)
Thanks Quoc |
|
tung quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372 Location: VIETNAM
|
 |
Wed Aug 16, 2006 17:35 pm Imperative affirmative sentence |
|
|
Hi Quoc
"Don't you hit that poor dog again!" is an emphatic negative imperative.
Ask your teacher whether she knows this emphatic form of the negative imperative: "Don't you dare do that!" 
Amy _________________ Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
|
Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 6826 Location: USA
|
 |
Wed Aug 16, 2006 17:38 pm Imperative |
|
|
Hi,
I feel that Don't you .. is more of a threat than an imperative.
Alan _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Are you a Persuader? |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 6924 Location: UK
|
 |
Wed Aug 16, 2006 17:52 pm Imperative affirmative sentence |
|
|
Dear teachers,
Dont you be... is correct? (even it's a threat)
Quoc |
|
tung quoc I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 372 Location: VIETNAM
|
 |
Wed Aug 16, 2006 18:03 pm Imperative |
|
|
Hi,
Yes, it's still correct. Don't worry. I was merely adding another dimension. Look at these two
Don't talk! is a straightforward command or imperative.
Don't you talk to me like that has an undertone of threat with the hint that if you do talk to me like that, you will be in trouble.
Hope that's clear.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Briefly |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 6924 Location: UK
|
 |
|
| Insane versus Idiot | Using Gerunds instead of Infinitives |