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TheSchoolRun.com closure date

As we informed you a few months ago, TheSchoolRun has had to make the difficult decision to close due to financial pressures and the company has now ceased trading. We had hoped to keep our content available through a partnership with another educational provider, but this provider has since withdrawn from the agreement.

As a result, we now have to permanently close TheSchoolRun.com. However, to give subscribers time to download any content they’d like to keep, we will keep the website open until 31st July 2025. After this date, the site will be taken down and there will be no further access to any resources. We strongly encourage you to download and save any resources you think you may want to use in the future.

In particular, we suggest downloading:

You should already have received 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep. If you haven’t received these, please contact us at [email protected] before 31st July 2025, and we will send them to you.

We are very sorry that there is no way to continue offering access to resources and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.

What are imperative verbs?

What are imperative verbs?
Do you know how imperative or "bossy" verbs are used in instruction texts? We explain how children are introduced to imperatives from Year 2 onwards, with examples of how they are taught in the primary classroom.

What is an imperative verb?

Verbs are words which express actions.

An imperative verb is one that tells someone to do something, so that the sentence it is in becomes an order or command. For example in this sentence (a command, outlining an action that must be done):

Fold your clothes up.

the imperative verb is 'fold'.

Imperative verbs are used in instruction manuals and recipes, for example: 

When are chilren taught about imperative verbs?

Children are introduced to imperative verbs (also known as "bossy verbs"!) in Year 2 grammar lessons.

What are children taught about using imperatives at primary school?

Children are taught to write instruction texts in both KS1 and KS2. 

The unit of learning may start with them being shown a variety of instruction texts. The teacher will explain to children that some verbs are used in a way that tells someone how to do something; these verbs turn the sentence into a command or order.

Children may be asked to go through, identify and highlight the imperative verbs in the text. They may recognise that imperative verbs are usually used at the start of a sentence. 

Some children, therefore, may see a command like this:


and identify the word 'slowly' as an imperative verb because it is at the beginning of the sentence. 'Slowly' is actually an adverb, describing how an action is done. 

Teachers will also show children how instructions are set out (with bullet points, numbers and pictures).


A good way to support children in writing their own instructions is for a teacher to ask the children to carry out an activity, such as making a sandwich, playing a game or performing a magic trick. Once children have done this, they will be asked to write their own instructions relating to the activity they have carried out. They will be asked to use imperative verbs, bullet points, numbers and pictures in their writing as they have been shown.

As children move up the school, teachers may increase the challenge of writing instructions, by asking children to write instructions for more complex tasks or suggesting that they include adverbs in their writing. 

How will children be tested on imperative verbs in SATs?

Children are often tested on commands in the Year 2 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test (a command contains an imperative verb). To test their knowledge of commands, they may be given four sentences and asked to pick out the one that is a command.

In the Year 6 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test, children may have to answer questions on imperative verbs. For example, they may be given a sentence and asked to underline the imperative verb.