Commands, Instructions and orders
Author: Ovidio M Castro Hernández
Dated: June 2014
Do you know what commands, instructions and orders are? Do you know the form of the verb in commands, instructions, and orders?
In this lesson you will learn to understand commands, instructions and orders. / En esta lección aprenderás a comprender las órdenes adecuadamente.
A command is an order or instruction given by somebody in authority. / Se trata de una orden dada por alguien con autoridad.
An instruction is a spoken or written statement of what must be done. / Declaración oral o escrita de lo que debe hacerse
An order is an instruction to do something. / Una orden es una instrucción para hacer algo.
examples:
- Stand up.
- Sit down.
- Raise your hand.
- Come here.
- Be quiet.
- Open your book.
- Close your book.
Observe the written form and its meaning. / Observa cómo se escriben estas instrucciones y lo que significan.
The verb always appears in its simple form and context determines if the command is for one or more individuals. / El verbo siempre se coloca en su forma simple y por contexto determinas si la orden se da a uno solo o a varios.
-Stand up. (Ponte de pie o pónganse de pie, según contexto.)
-Sit down. (Siéntate o siéntense, según contexto.)
-Come here. (Ven acá o vengan acá, según contexto.)
-Be quiet. (Haz silencio o hagan silencio, según contexto.)
In the examples below one element generally indicates plurality or absence of it. (En los ejemplos siguientes, ciertos elementos generalmente indican el plural o su ausencia)
-Open your book to page 40. / Abre tu libro o abra su libro en la página 40.
-Open your books to page 21. / Abran los libros en la página 21.
-Raise your hand, please. / Levante la mano, por favor. ( Aquí además please señala ausencia de tuteo.)
-Raise your hands, please. (Levante, o levanten las manos, por favor.)
-Raise your hands way up, please. Sorry, not you, the last man on the third line. /Levante las manos bien arriba, por favor. Lo siento, ustedes no, el último señor de la tercera fila.
-Shave yourself now. / Aféitese ahora.
-Shave yourselves every day. / Aféitense diariamente.
-Sit up./ Incorpórate/incorpórese. (Lo lógico es que la orden se dirija a una sola persona en cama, no a varias a la vez).
- Some commands, more like requests and petitions, sometimes expressing a recommendation, are formulated in the negative. / Algunas órdenes, más bien solicitudes o peticiones, que a veces expresan una recomendación, se formulan en negativo:
Don't answer that question. / No / respondan / responda / respondas / esa pregunta.
In the next example context and wording turn such requests into threats. En el ejemplo que sigue el contexto y la selección de las palabras convierten esas solicitudes en amenazas:
Don't you dare open that door. / No te atrevas / no se atrevan / a abrir esa puerta.
This other example turns the command into a prohibition. / Este otro ejemplo convierte la orden en prohibición:
Never be late to class. / Nunca llegues tarde al aula.
Common classroom commands used by teachers:
Come to the board, Luisito, please.
Please, write that sentence on the board.
Be quiet, class.
Everybody, open your books to page 15.
Pay attention, everybody.
Hurry up!
Tell me, Juanita, how do you say conejo in English?
Analyze the form of the verb in this sentence.
Look at this word, everyone. Is it a verb?
Please, Pedro, erase the board before writing the sentences.
Write this on the board, Jane, please. (Aunque aparece la palabra please, se sabe que hay tuteo por el uso del nombre y no del apellido.)
Observe my lips as I pronounce thank you.
Help me here, Thomas, will you?
Don't copy this now. Listen to me first.
Copy this on your notebooks.
Now, think of this situation.
Imagine the following...
Believe me when I tell you...
Now, work in teams.
Practice the following.
Forget the test now.
Learn some manners, please.
Don't be so graphic.