Imperative vs. Declarative (can a third grader or his parents tell the difference?)


My 3rd grade son was supposed to write a series of sentences, and write whether they were "imperative" or "declarative" (or "interogative" or "exclamatory", but those aren't relevant for this question).


The sentence he wrote was "You must join with the giants."


My thoughts were that, despite the fact that this sounds like an order, that this sentence was declarative. My wife insisted it was imperative. My third grader was confused as all get out by our contradictory opinions.


Her thoughts were that an imperative tells someone to do something...that's what this sentence is. QED.


I was thinking that although it sounds like an imperative type order, by changing the words slightly, say changing the "you" into "I", or "must" into "should" or "might" it becomes more obvious (to me) that the sentence is making a declaration of state, rather than an order for immediate action.


I think I'm right, but would like to be sure (or be told why I am wrong). I'd also like the correct terminology pointed out to me where I've doubtless messed it up.



Answer



No, it is not in the imperative. An imperative verb almost never has a subject. These are imperative sentences:



  • Go to the store.

  • Michael, go to the store.

  • You give me that right now.


These are all declarative sentences:



  • You are going to the store.

  • You will go to the store.

  • You might go to the store.

  • You should go to the store.

  • You have to go to the store.

  • You ought to go to the store.

  • You shall go to the store.

  • You must go to the store.


How you want to classify this one, however, may vary:



  • Let's go to the store.


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