Commands Need More Punch Than French Gives Them

Research on French learners producing English commands versus statements finds a specific gap: while learners get the overall shape of a sentence right, they often underplay the sharp pitch push that signals 'this is an order, not a suggestion' in English. Say 'Close the door' as a flat, polite French-style request, and it can come across as a passive comment rather than an actual instruction. American English commands typically get a stronger, more compressed rise-then-fall right on the key word — 'Close the DOOR,' with real intensity on 'door.' Try practicing three commands out loud: 'Sit down,' 'Turn it off,' 'Wait here' — and deliberately punch the stressed word harder and sharper than feels comfortable, almost theatrically at first. Listen back and compare to how a native speaker might bark the same instruction in a hurry. This small intensity boost, practiced for two minutes, helps your commands finally sound like commands instead of suggestions.