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Persian Learner Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

The right imperative form

Hi.

Today I had a grammar class at university. The professor gave us some sentences to change into imperative form.

The following is the sentence that I couldn't agree on with the professor at all.

We should hurry if we want to get home in time for dinner.

I changed it to "Let's hurry to get home in time for dinner".

He didn't accept it and gave the following one as the correct expected version.

Let's hurry if we want to get home in time for dinner.

I said, "It seems odd to me." and suggested "Let's hurry if you want to get home in time for dinner" to keep the if-clause, but it didn't strike him as acceptable again.

What's really the best imperative form of the given sentence?

  

Top answer

Let's examine the variants. 1. We should hurry if we want to get home in time for dinner.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Let's examine the variants.
  • 1.
  • We should hurry if we want to get home in time for dinner.
  • (There is an if-condition.
  • It implies: We don't have to hurry if we're not concerned about being late for dinner.
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2 Answers
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Let's examine the variants.

1. We should hurry if we want to get home in time for dinner. (There is an if-condition. It implies: We don't have to hurry if we're not concerned about being late for dinner. But in most contexts, the sentiment is to hurry up; it's an indirect way of saying - Hurry up! We'll be late if we don't!)

2. Let's hurry. We want to get home in time for

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I tend to agree with your professor.

Your version seems to me more decisive than the original does.

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