Imperatives Worksheets, ESL Activities and Games

In this engaging imperatives game, students play dominoes by matching words together to form imperatives. In groups, the first player tries to make an imperative by placing one of their dominoes at either end of the domino on the table. The other players then take it in turns to match their dominoes in the same way by putting them down at either end of the domino chain. If a player is unable to make an imperative, they take a domino from the pile and put it down if they can. If there are no dominoes left in the pile, play passes to the next student. The first player to get rid of all their dominoes wins the game.

This productive imperatives worksheet helps students learn how the imperative mood is used for orders, instructions, suggestions, warnings and requests. Students start by completing imperatives with verbs from a box. Students then sort the sentences, according to how each imperative is used. Next, students put words in the correct order to form imperatives. Students then indicate each imperative's usage, e.g. an order, a warning, etc. In the last exercise, students use their own ideas to write an example for each imperative usage.

This free introduction to imperatives worksheet helps students learn and practice imperatives. Students begin by writing 'I' (for imperative) next to sentences that contain imperatives. Next, students rewrite the unmarked sentences from Exercise A as imperatives. Students then move on to do a gap-fill exercise where they complete imperatives with words from a box and then underline the imperatives in each sentence. In the last exercise, students circle the correct form of the verbs in bold and then underline the imperatives.

This comprehensive imperatives worksheet helps students learn and practice the imperative, including the use of let's to include yourself in the imperative. To begin, students match sentences that go together. One or both sentences in each pair uses the imperative. Students then underline the imperative verbs in the sentences. Next, students choose words and phrases from a box to complete imperative sentences. Students then move on to read statements and then write what each person says using imperatives. In the last exercise, students complete each imperative with their own ideas and write another sentence to give more information about it.

In this amusing imperatives activity, students mime common imperatives to a partner to help them complete a crossword. In pairs, students take it in turns to ask their partner for a clue to one of their missing imperatives. Their partner indicates the number of words in the imperative and then mimes it for the other student to guess. If the student correctly guesses the imperative, they write it on their crossword. If not, their partner continues to mime until the student is able to guess the imperative. When the students have finished, they check their answers by comparing crosswords.

In this fun imperatives game, students write orders and instructions that certain people would say and read them to a partner who has to guess who is speaking each time. First, students put words in the correct order to make instructions and orders given by the person shown on their worksheet. Next, in two groups, students use imperatives to write down three orders or instructions for the other five people shown on their worksheet. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take it in turns to read the three orders or instructions for each person to their partner who has to guess who is speaking each time, saying "I think a ... would say these things." For each correct guess, students score a point. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.