Imperatives and question words · Imperativos y palabras interrogativas
Giving orders and asking questions
- Imperatives give orders or instructions: Sit down. Listen.
- Question words ask for information: What? Where? Who?
- Two everyday tools you'll use a lot.
Please sit down. Why? The chair is tired.
Dar órdenes y hacer preguntas

- Los imperativos dan órdenes o instrucciones: Sit down. Listen.
- Las palabras interrogativas piden información: What? Where? Who?
- Son dos herramientas cotidianas que usarás mucho.
Please sit down. Why? The chair is tired.
Imperatives — just the base verb
- Start with the base verb, with no subject: Open the door. Come in.
- Add please to be polite: Please sit down.
- We use them for orders, instructions, and directions.
Imperativos — solo el verbo en forma base
- Comienza con el verbo en forma base, sin sujeto: Open the door. Come in.
- Añade please para ser cortés: Please sit down.
- Se utilizan para órdenes, instrucciones y indicaciones.
Which is a correct instruction? · ¿Cuál es una instrucción correcta?
An imperative starts with the base verb, with no subject: “Open the door.” · Un imperativo comienza con el verbo base, sin sujeto: “Open the door.”
Translate into English: 请坐下。 · Traduce al inglés: 请坐下。
Imperative + please: “Please sit down.” · Imperativo + please: “Please sit down.”
Negative imperatives — Don't
- Put Don't before the verb: Don't be late. Don't worry.
- It tells someone not to do something.
Imperativos negativos — Don't
- Coloca Don't antes del verbo: Don't be late. Don't worry.
- Indica a alguien que no haga algo.
Make it negative: ___ be late! (one word) · Hazlo negativo: ___ be late! (una palabra)
Negative imperative = Don't + base verb: “Don't be late!” · Imperativo negativo = Don't + verbo base: “Don't be late!”
Question words
- what (thing), where (place), who (person).
- when (time), why (reason), how (the way).
- What is this? Where do you live? How are you?
Palabras interrogativas
- what (cosa), where (lugar), who (persona).
- when (tiempo), why (razón), how (la manera).
- What is this? Where do you live? How are you?
Which question word asks for this? · ¿Qué palabra interrogativa pide esto?
what asks about a thing, where a place, who a person, when a time. · what pregunta por una cosa, where por un lugar, who por una persona, when por un tiempo.
Choose the question word: ___ is your name? · Elige la palabra interrogativa: ___ is your name?
Asking about a name → What: “What is your name?” · Preguntar por un nombre → What: “What is your name?”
Common mistakes
- ❌ Don't to touch it. → ✓ Don't touch it.
- ❌ Where you live? → ✓ Where do you live?
- ❌ What means this word? → ✓ What does this word mean?
Errores comunes
- ❌ Don't to touch it. → ✓ Don't touch it.
- ❌ Where you live? → ✓ Where do you live?
- ❌ What means this word? → ✓ What does this word mean?
Match the question word to the answer it asks for. · Empareja la palabra interrogativa con la respuesta que solicita.
The question word tells you what kind of answer to give. · La palabra interrogativa te indica qué tipo de respuesta dar.
Which question is correct? · ¿Cuál es la pregunta correcta?
Question word + do / does + subject + verb: “Where do you live?” · Palabra interrogativa + do / does + sujeto + verbo: “Where do you live?”
- Imperative = base verb, no subject (Open the door.).
- Negative = Don't + base verb.
- Question words: what, where, who, when, why, how.
- Imperativo = verbo en forma base, sin sujeto (Open the door.).
- Negativo = Don't + verbo en forma base.
- Palabras interrogativas: what, where, who, when, why, how.
Write one classroom instruction using an imperative (for example: Open your books). · Escribe una instrucción de aula usando un imperativo (por ejemplo: Open your books).
Example: “Please be quiet.” or “Listen carefully.” · Ejemplo: “Please be quiet.” o “Listen carefully.”