Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leon08]

Hello,

In learned in (at) school that the verb "to be" is never accompaigned by the auxiliar "do" or "does".

Then, how do we construct the imperative with "to be"?
What imperative sentence is the right one?

a) Don't be cruel

or

b) Not be cruel

Thanks for your help.

[pugachevV]

Don't be cruel, as Elvis Presley famously sang, is correct.
But it's a negative imperative. You would not say, "Do be cruel!" -- Be cruel suffices.

Don't be late!
Don't be silly!
Don't be rude!

Are common expressions.