Happy Monday, Reader! We’re getting technical today, talking about writing Git commit messages. If you have no idea what Git is, don’t worry, we still have lots for you to learn - just skip the technical part below.

Today you will learn how to:

• use the imperative mood

• write better commit messages in Git

• practice speaking English every day 

And test your understanding of today’s lesson with a quick quiz.

GRAMMAR

Imperative Mood

Put simply, the imperative mood is used to tell someone to do something. It allows us to give clear and direct commands, requests and instructions.

How to form the imperative mood?
→ base form of the verb
→ subject is usually omitted
→ articles (a/an/the) can be omitted in writing

Be careful. Sometimes the imperative mood can sound rude!

To soften it, consider using the negative imperative, adding “please” or rephrasing it into a suggestion.

Now that we’ve covered the imperative mood in a business context, let’s explore how it can be applied to a technical concept.

TECHNICAL

Writing Git Commit Messages

Did you know commit messages should be written in imperative present tense?

When writing commit messages, think of them as instructions to the version control system and other developers.

Your message should describe what applying the commit will do, not what you did.

You can read more about this in the git documentation.

Good examples:

Update npm dependency to latest version 

Fix bug preventing users from submitting subscribe form 

Update incorrect client phone number within footer per client request 

Remember: articles can be omitted when writing imperative sentences

RECOMMENDATION

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LEARNING TOOLS

How to Practice Speaking

We know it’s hard to find opportunities to speak English every day if you don’t live or work in an English speaking environment. Here’s how you can create more opportunities.

AI Apps: Speakmo is a free AI speaking partner for practicing English that helps you achieve a 7+ IELTS speaking score or perform well in a job interview.

Shadowing: While watching your favourite content in English, pause the video or podcast, repeat what is said, and record yourself. Then, listen back and compare your tone, rhythm and intonation to theirs.

Do your hobbies in English: If you live in a big city, there’s a high chance that you can find activities like yoga or book clubs in English. Often these clubs cater¹ for expats², but there’s nothing stopping you going.

1  cater for = to provide what is wanted or needed by someone

2  expat = a person who lives outside their native country (short for expatriate)

EXERCISES

What did you learn today? Take this quick quiz to solidify your knowledge!

Note: answers will be displayed in a new window. Remember to come back and complete the rest of the quiz!

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