Imperative Verbs: Definition and Examples

Imperative verbs are verbs that create an imperative sentence (i.e. a sentence that gives an order or command). When reading an imperative sentence, it will always sound like the speaker is bossing someone around. Imperative verbs don’t leave room for questions or discussion, even if the sentence has a polite tone. Use the root form of the verb to create the imperative. Consider the examples below:

Give me that book!

Clean your room!

Do your homework.

Take the dog for a walk, please.

Don’t touch that!

Do come to visit us whenever you’re in town.

Push!

15 More Sources of Inspiration for Content Creators

Writers of the world, unite! Creators of content are always on the lookout for more, well, content. Sometimes that means research, sometimes that means tips on building a business, and sometimes that just means looking at cool stuff and feeling inspired.

If you’re a fiction writer, content marketer, journalist, designer, or other kind of content creator in search of suggestions specific to the type of writing you do, head on over to Grammarly’s colossal list of tips, techniques, ideas, and sources for all your content creation needs (and maybe more). If you’ve exhausted that list and are already out for more—or on the flip side, if you’re not into job-specific how-tos and would rather explore broader sources of inspiration—this is the list for you. Here, Grammarly has compiled cool sites about writing, reminders to keep reading, and creative sources with a human focus. There are also inspirations to tune into on a daily basis and sites to support you in writing specific genres of fiction. Whether you’re looking for tips on a particular project or just want new sources of motivation (and maybe a giggle or two), there’s something here for you.

Reading, Writing, and Watching

Goodreads If you’re in the writing game, chances are you’ve heard that the most important thing you can do for your writing is reading. Goodreads lets you keep track of books you’ve read, find others like them, and read and write reviews (some bloggers use it as a gateway to lure readers to their own sites). Plus, there’s a blog, news about and interviews with featured authors, and awards for books of the year. Whether you’re looking for something to read, a place to write, or a list of titles that are already taken, Goodreads has mountains of material for you.

Subway Book Review Existing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and online, SBR gives you black-and-white photos of subway riders holding their favorite reads, followed by each photo subject’s words on why the book they’re carrying is important, interesting, or generally worth a read. The creator takes shots of people with real, paper books only: she says of her subjects, “They tell me about their lives and they tell me secrets and they tell me all of these magical things. I don’t think that a tablet or an iPhone can do that in the same way.” The project combines human interest with book recommendations. What could be better?

Wordstuck If you think you’ve got a big vocabulary, you might get stuck on the words on this site. Wordstuck posts obscure words in English and other languages that are bound to level-up your lexicon, or at least provide fun trivia. Whether you have to cope with palinolia (English: obsessive repetition to the point of perfection) around your vocabulary or just want to impress your parea (Greek: group of friends), Wordstuck will have something for you. Plus, it offers great visuals to accompany each word.

The Writers’ Helpers Not sure what to write? The Writers’ Helpers provides daily prompt challenges and monthly contests to go along with each prompt. Some prompts are for fiction, some for nonfiction, and most can be spun however you desire. Whether you want to join the competition or are just looking for a cornucopia of new ideas, these helpers have something for every writer.

Humans of New York Begun as a photography project, expanded to include interviews with photography subjects, and now spun off into two books, Humans of New York aims to “create an exhaustive catalogue of the city’s inhabitants.” With often intimate portraits and quotes or stories about the people pictured, HONY has gained an enormous social media following. HONY’s Facebook and Instagram started the phenomenon, but there are lots of copycat sites, from Humans of Bombay to Humans of Toronto. That’s the power of making strangers seem a little less strange.

Inspirations of the Day

Pun of the day That just about puns it up.

Whether you like to use jokes in your writing or not, sometimes a good (bad) pun can provide the spark that lights your own creativity—or at least gives you a laugh (or an eye roll) to boost your mood and set you on your way.

Earthshots Photo of the Day What’s more inspiring than beautiful photos of nature? Earthshots has got you covered every day of the year. A great writing prompt: pick a photo and describe it—or alternately, describe a scene that happens there. Or if that’s more work than you’re looking for, just look at the pictures. We promise, they’re pretty.

National Geographic Another spot for shots of the day, plus explorations of nature, people, and unfamiliar corners of the Earth that are bound to make you learn something. Nothing like new knowledge to help you think outside the box.

Brainy Quote Whether you’re into seeing a quote of the day or you’re on the lookout for something specific, Brainy Quote has an enormous repository of quotations from famous folks around the world and throughout history. Search authors, browse pictures, and explore topics like love, politics, knowledge, fear, or friendship. Whether you’re looking for something specific or need an inspirational boost, you’re more likely to be overwhelmed by possibilities than come up short.

Word of the day Whether you want to expand your vocabulary, test your knowledge, or practice your craft by incorporating specific words into your writing, it’s worth checking out Dictionary.com’s word of the day (or alternately, the daily word picked by Merriam-Webster, Word Think, or other similar sites). Many also have email newsletters you can subscribe to, so there’s no chance of skimping on your daily word.

Sites for Genre-Specific Writers

SF Site If you write science fiction or just have been bit by the sci-fi bug (sorry: body-invading alien), this is a great place for resources, reviews, news, interviews, and everything intergalactic. If you want more where that came from, the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction lists lots of additional resources for sci-fi readers and writers, while Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America is a must-join organization for writing professionals in the genres.

Fantasy Writers You guessed it: this is a site for fantasy writers (and readers) to read and participate in forum discussions, find updates, read other people’s stories (including ones by published authors), and explore resources to help the writing process. There’s also a monthly writing challenge. You have to sign up to see stories others have submitted, but if you want to find a community of fellow fantasy writers, it’s worth your time. To see more fantasy sites, check out this list.

Kidlit If you write for children or young adults, a site that labels itself as being about how to write and publish children’s books will be a good pitstop. The site is regularly updated with general blog posts, and has sections on the ins and outs of publishing, revision suggestions for books targeted to different ages, and general advice.

Writing Romance This list of resources is compiled by Writing World, a site with tips about the career and practice of writing professionally. The section on romance has guides on the basics of romance, characters, and plot, as well as specific posts on topics ranging from how to craft romantic dialogue and emotional scenes to details like humor, suspense, avoiding cliché, and picking the right title. Plenty to fall in love with here.

Writing the Mystery Also put together by Writing World, this list compiles resources for researching and writing mystery and crime novels. If you’re planning to write in this genre, you probably need to brush up on your forensics. Beyond the researching side of writing, there are also tips on the right kind of dialogue to match your plot, creating a crime scene, and giving your killer a motive. With these resources, your mystery stories will be dead-on.

There you have it: ways to keep reading and writing, inspirational tidbits, and genre-specific sources to keep you going. For more sources on careers in writing and creativity in general, check out our list of inspirational online content.

The one problem with all this cool content: with so much out there to pay attention to, you’ll have to make sure you make time to create your own, too.

Meet the Dictionary’s New Words

From Merriam-Webster’s Peter Sokolowski, here’s the full list of words

(we added a few notations about why certain words were added, via the m-w.com press release):

aha moment n (1939) : a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension [Oprah Winfrey’s signature phrase]

brain cramp n (1982) : an instance of temporary mental confusion resulting in an error or lapse of judgment

bucket list n (2006) : a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying [popularized by the movie title]

cloud computing n (2006) : the practice of storing regularly used computer data on multiple servers that can be accessed through the Internet [technology]

copernicium n (2009) : a short-lived artificially produced radioactive element that has 112 protons

craft beer n (1986) : a specialty beer produced in limited quantities : microbrew

earworm n (1802) 1 : corn earworm 2 : a song or melody that keeps repeating in one’s mind [“this summer’s example being the inescapable Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.”]

energy drink n (1904) : a usually carbonated beverage that typically contains caffeine and other ingredients (as taurine and ginseng) intended to increase the drinker’s energy

e-reader n (1999) : a handheld electronic device designed to be used for reading e-books and similar material

f-bomb n (1988) : the word fuck — used metaphorically as a euphemism

flexitarian n (1998) : one whose normally meatless diet occasionally includes meat or fish

game changer n (1993) : a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way

gassed adj (1919) … 2 slang : drained of energy : spent, exhausted

gastropub n (1996) : a pub, bar, or tavern that also offers meals of high quality

geocaching n (2000) : a game in which players are given the geographical coordinates of a cache of items which they search for with a GPS device

life coach n (1986) :  an advisor who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal with problems

man cave n (1992) : a room or space (as in a basement) designed according to the taste of the man of the house to be used as his personal area for hobbies and leisure activities

mash-up n (1859) : something created by combining elements from two or more sources: as a : a piece of music created by digitally overlaying an instrumental track with a vocal track from a different recording  b : a movie or video having characters or situations from other sources  c : a Web service or application that integrates data and functionalities from various online sources [“Whether it’s a politician contradicting him or herself with excerpts from different speeches shown in quick succession or Danger Mouse’s Grey Album, mixing Jay-Z with the Beatles, we’ve come to expect combined and rearranged elements that bring new perspectives and new creativity to our culture with mash-ups,” says editor Sokolowski. “It’s a recent phenomenon, made possible with digital editing, and it has a fun and descriptive name.”]

obesogenic adj (1986) :  promoting excessive weight gain :  producing obesity

sexting n (2007) : the sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone

shovel-ready adj (1998) of a construction project or site : ready for the start of work

systemic risk n (1982) : the risk that the failure of one financial institution (as a bank) could cause other interconnected institutions to fail and harm the economy as a whole [the global financial crisis]

tipping point n (1959) : the critical point in a situation, process, or system beyond which a significant and often unstoppable effect or change takes place

¹toxic adj  (1664) … 4 : relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market

underwater adj (1672) … 3 : having, relating to, or being a mortgage loan for which more is owed than the property securing the loan is worth

Read more: Meet the Dictionary’s New Words

Should You Take Notes By Hand or Electronically?

At a professional conference in 2014, Clive Thompson, a writer for The New York Times Magazine, presented “The Pencil and the Keyboard: How The Way You Write Changes the Way You Think.” In this session, he claimed that handwriting was better than typing in certain situations and vice versa. One attendee, Eric Peters, decided to explore the issue further in the article “Keyboard vs. Pen: What’s the Best Way to Take Notes?” Before reading on, think about how you would answer that question, and then examine his research below.

Handwriting Improves Memory Retention

Researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer conducted an experiment to see whether people would remember more after taking notes by hand or on a keyboard. They instructed half of the participants to write their notes with pen and paper. The other half used keyboards. In each of their trials, the people who wrote notes by hand remembered more of the information. Why?

The answer has to do with a mental process called synthesis. As you listen to a lecture, for example, you can’t write fast enough to record every single word of speech. To compensate, your brain decides which information is most important, and that’s what you write down. That’s synthesis. Have you heard the expression “in one ear and out the other”? Rather than discarding everything, your brain synthesizes information, thus making it easier to recall than non-synthesized information would be.

Typing, on the other hand, allows you to record the lecture almost verbatim, but it actually results in less synthesis, which results in less retention. Scientific American explains: “When typing, students can easily produce a written record of the lecture without processing its meaning, as faster typing speeds allow students to transcribe a lecture word for word without devoting much thought to the content.”

When Typing Is Better

Not everyone agrees that handwriting is the best option for notes. In a Thought Catalog blog, Zoe Annabel lists four ways typing may be preferable to handwriting. Her number three reason is efficiency. Typing may be better if the goal isn’t memory retention. For instance, rather than studying for an exam, perhaps you are taking minutes at a business meeting. If you plan to file the document afterward, you can always consult your notes later to find the information you need. In that case, fast typers would capture more details than someone taking notes by hand.

Another benefit of typing is neatness. Or as Zoe Annabel puts it, “typing is prettier.” Are you sharing the notes with someone? If your handwriting isn’t exactly neat, others reading the notes would probably appreciate a typed copy rather than a handwritten one. What about spelling, punctuation, and grammar? Many word processing programs come with a spelling checker or grammar checker that can help you catch misspelled words or other writing errors. Some programs even guess what you are trying to type after a few keystrokes! In short, when communicating with others, typing may be your best option.

What do you think of the research? Is it true in your case? Let us know in the comments: Do you take notes on paper or digitally?