Learn English – Can an imperative sentence be without verbs

imperative-sentencestypes-of-sentences

In English there are 4 types of sentences as it's taught in schools: 1.
Declarative. 2. Interrogative. 3.Exclamatory. 4. Imperative.

Now, as far as I can see, all the first three types of sentences (i.e. declarative, interrogative, exclamatory) can be without verbs, AKA "nominal sentence". But If I try to find nominal sentence for the 4th type of sentences (imperative), I cannot think how it can be to give an order without verb, or in other words, I'm not sure if it can be "imperative sentence" as a nominal sentence rather than a verbal sentence". What's correct in fact?

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Best Answer

According to the linked image in your question, the following are nominal sentences:

  • I am curious.
  • You are nice.
  • She is polite.
  • He is our teacher.
  • We are students.

Every one of these sentences has a verb.  In fact, they all have the same verb, the copular "to be".  If we're defining "nominal sentence" as a sentence without a main verb, then none of those examples are nominal.  True, this verb lacks action and lacks transitivity, but it does mark tense, form a predicate and demand a subject.  The so-called nominal sentence examples from your linked image are all verbal sentences.

English does have a few examples of natural nominal sentences:  "Thanks."  "Drat."  "Sorry."  "The more, the merrier."  Conversational English and newspaper headlines are rife with contextual ellipsis, leading to a type of technically nominal sentence for which the verb needs to be reconstructed before the clause can be understood.

An imperative is a call to action.  Whether explicitly referenced, elided, or merely implied, there must be an action.  Certainly, you can make a call to action without a verb.  You can make a call to action without a single word at all.  A gesture or a glance can make a demand.

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