Transcript 幻灯片 1 - shnu.edu.cn

Session Seven
三、Frequent Use of Imperative Sentence
As we all know, one of the functions of
advertising is that of persuasion, i.e. to
persuade consumers to take immediate actio
Imperative sentences are very important in
English advertisements, because they perfor
the function of direct persuasion and exhorta
tion. Imperative sentences are most widely
employed in English advertising. According to
statistics, there is at least one imperative se
tence in every four in English advertising text
Therefore, frequent use of imperative sentenc
(1) Get Super Snowcem.
(2) Get the shave that’s extra close –
the Remington shave.
(3) Get your copy free.
(4) Get more income from your income te
phone lines.
(5) Get Volvo power behind you to take yo
and away.
(6) Always buy Cadbury’s.
(7) Buy your new suit direct from the UK’s
premier manufacturer and save litera
hundreds of pounds .
(8) Let your child in on a world of wonde
Things of Science.
(9) Let the New York Times find you.
(10) For the brightest gloss choose from
Gaymel’s wonderful color range.
(11) Have some Harveys with your
Christmas.
(12) Have a little fruit after dinner.
(13) Look for Top Shelf on your grocer’s
shelf in the new microwave entrée
Always ask for Gallaher’s Blues.
(14) Try our smooth feeder system.
(15) Try new Rice Krispies.
(16) Enjoy the world’s No.1 Scotch whisky
(17) Enjoy the world’s No.1 Scotch whisky
(18) For lovelier hairstyles use New Amam
Waveset and conditioner.
(19) Look…No meniscus reading problem
(20) Just see how marks and smudges
disappear when you use Handy Andy
(21) Watch the Daxaids instant dispersal
test.
Get ready to encounter the new trend in
timepieces.
The Citizen Espreme Collection.
Watches that are indicators of tastes
and moods, that express you.
-Citizen Watch
The above-mentioned imperative sentenc
chosen from various advertisements are alwa
seen in newspapers and magazines. If you
carefully look at them, you will find that such
verbs as get, buy, let, choose, have are direct
associated with the acquisition of products;
that verbs like look for, ask for, try are indirect
ly associated with the acquisition of products;
that verbs like enjoy and use are obviously
associated with the consumption of products
or with the use of service; and that verbs such
As look, see and watch act as appeals for
notice or attraction.
“look, see, and watch are common in com
mercials of the demonstration type, where the
call the consumer’s attention to what is happe
ning before the consumer’s eyes.’(Leech, 196
Other verbs such as remember, make sure
are favored by the admen, too. In imperative
sentences such verbs perform the function of
advising consumers to note some important
points in the process of choosing or using the
product or service.
It is to be noted that there are few negative
imperative sentences in English advertising.
Negative imperative sentences are employed
only for the purposes of expressing admonish
ment or warning.
四、Frequent Use of the
Simple Present Tense
In English advertising, the copy writer ten
to use the simple present tense, although he
or she employs other tenses as well when ne
cessary. Obviously, the simple present tense
is ubiquitous in English advertisements. Pleas
look at the following examples.
(1)Indulge your senses with the freshness of
Gently clean and moisturize your skin with
the freshness of Fa Shower Gel. Its rich emol
lients and ideal PH balance leave your skin s
and smooth to the touch.
Fa, Europe’s most popular brand of bath
and shower products, is now available as a
complete line with a choice of three enchanting fragrances.
(2)
POND’S DISCOVERS HOW TO
FIGHT DRYNESS
EVERY TIME YOU WASH YOUR FACE
Instead of soap, try a whole new way to w
your face. Pond’s Facial Cleaning Foam. It’s
a light, refreshing foam that cleans thorough
cleans gently, but doesn’t dry your skin like
soap.
New Pond’s leaves your skin feeling soft
and smooth every time you wash your face.
Try it and see. No one knows more about
beautiful skin than Pond’s.
POND’S CLEANS LIKE NO SOAP CAN.
-Also available for sensitive skin.
Example (1) is an advertisement of Fa
Shower Gel. It shows that Fa Shower Gel
enables your skin to be soft and smooth with
enchanting fragrances. Example (2) is an
advertisement of Pond’s Facial Cleaning
Foam. The use of the simple present tense
in these two examples shows the eternal
particular characteristics and special functio
of the two commodities, Fa Shower Gel and
Pond’s Facial Cleaning Foam, enabling
customers to think of them as things beyond
any shadow of doubt.
As a matter of fact, the simple present ten
is always employed in advertising texts. Why
is the simple present tense always preferred
in English advertisements? This is because
“ A much more frequent meaning of the simple present tense in anchoring advertising
texts is the ‘eternal truth’ variety ” (Greg Mye
994:39). As the simple present tense is used
to express a habitual, permanent, or repeate
action, or a perpetual condition or state, its
frequent use in advertising texts adds eternit
and durability to the products being advertise
By using the simple present tense, the adver
tiser intends to tell the audience or readers
the hard facts and the permanent truth concerni
the advertised product or service. And custoMers usually believe messages conveyed by
advertising texts characterized by the use of
the simple present tense.
五、 Frequent Use of
Conditional Sentences
In English advertising, conditional sentence
introduced by if often occur in the first line, so
as to strengthen promotion and persuasion.
The conditional sentences can be divided into
two types: real conditional sentences and unr
conditional sentences. In advertising texts, re
conditional sentences are generally preferre
Let’s observe the following examples.
(1) If you suffer from indigestion, this is
something you want to know.
(2) If you’re a wife who believes that the
best Home-made Bread is made with
good honest plain flour – then this flour
made by McDougall’s, is the flour for yo
(3) JAMAICA, THE PERFECT PLACE TO
UNWIND
Soft golden sands, shady blue lagoons,
heart-stopping scarlet sunsets, wherever you
If you’ve ever dreamt of strolling hand in hand
across glorious, unspoilt beaches as the warm
Caribbean licks gently around your ankles an
the smell of tropical blooms fills the air, then
this is the place for you…
(4) Handmade Sterling Silver
If you’re happy with ordinary flatware, fine.
If you want something really outstanding,
have a look at our handmade sterling silver.
We invite your visit and comparison.
James Robinson
15 east 57th street, NEW YORK 10022-
(5) IF YOUR FEET COULD DREAM!
THIS IS WHAT THEY’D DREAMT ABOUT
They’d dreamt of softness. Of luxurious
comfort. Of delicious colors and supple leathers. They’d dreamt about Soft Spots. Casual shoes. Sporty shoes. Really comfortabl
shoes. So make these dreams come true.
Just call 1-800-468-4684 for the Soft Spots
retailer near you.
SOFT SPOTS
Really comfortable shoes
(6)YOU’LL HAVE MORE FUN ON THE BEA
IF YOU FORGET YOUR SWIMSUIT.
- SLIX
From the above quoted examples, we can
come to the conclusion that conditional sentences introduced by if single out the particula
type of customers or clients. The if-sentence
in Example (1) singles out the particular type
of people who suffer from indigestion, while th
main clause suggests that they use the produ
In example (2), the if-sentence singles out the
particular type of wives who believe that the
best Home-made Bread is made with good
(3), the if-sentence singles out the particular
type of lovers who have dreamt of strolling
hand in hand across glorious, unspoilt beache
while the main clause invites them to visit it. I
Example (4), the if-sentence singles out the
particular type of people who are happy with
ordinary flatware and want something really
outstanding, while the main clause invites
them to see it. Examples (5) and (6) are
adverts of the shoe and the swimsuit, where
the if-sentences are used in the headlines.
Thus, the advertisements can capture the
Another type of conditional sentences assum
this form: imperative sentence + and + sentence of result or effect. Let’s see the following example:
(7) …Push this blue button, and you flush
out goods and loose mineral deposits that
clog up steam vents, choke off steam. Push
this button, and you’ve made life a lot easier
Obviously, the above example actually
consists of two conditional sentences, which
assume the form of imperative sentences.
As a matter of fact, such conditional sentenc
play the double function of introducing
indirectly the desirable or favorable aspects
or characteristics of the advertised product
or service, and of calling prospective customers to take action in an indirect way.