Directive
Pattern
Speaker→hearer should do X — action-eliciting utterance
Definition
A speech act that attempts to get the hearer to do something — commanding, requesting, advising, inviting, suggesting, or warning. The speaker tries to influence the hearer's future action.
Examples
Example 1
Consider the implications carefully before making your decision.
A softened directive — the imperative is mitigated by "consider" rather than "do"
Example 2
Could you possibly send me that report by Friday?
An indirect directive — the interrogative form and "possibly" disguise a request as a question about ability
Example 3
You might want to reconsider that approach.
A covert directive — framed as a suggestion about the hearer's desires, but functionally a command
AI Detection Note
AI often produces directives disguised as assertives ('It's important to consider...' instead of 'Consider...'). This indirect framing is a common AI pattern — stating that something should be done rather than directly asking.
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