Word order in imperative sentence
What are the correct possibilities for word order in the following sentence? Is there any general rule for imperative sentences? (Like SVOMPT?)
- Please, check regularly the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website.
- Please, regularly check the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website.
- Please, check the updated information about the meetings on the EBC website regularly.
Something is telling me 1 isn't entirely correct, 2 maybe. I think 3 is correct, however I don't like the word regularly to be so far from the words check and information.
EDIT: attempt to summarize the answers:
- #1 sounds awkward to most people except for Barrie
- #2 seems to have least opponents
- the comma should be omitted
- new solution raised (from Hellion & Barrie England):
4) Please check regularly for updated information about the meetings on the EBC website.
Do you all think #4 is the best?
Solution 1:
I don't do "correct", but I find 3 to be the most natural, 2 acceptable, and 1 something that no native English speaker would say.
Incidentally I find the comma after please rather awkward and foreign-sounding.
Solution 2:
In declarative sentences, adverbs of frequency are normally placed in middle position, that is, before the finite verb when there is no auxiliary verb. So, it would be We regularly check the updated information . . . There seems to be greater latitude in the placing of the adverb in imperative sentences such as these. Sentences 1 and 2 might both be found, but the pattern in 1 is probably more frequent. In sentence 3, regularly is separated from the verb it modifies by too many words to make for easy reading.
There is, by the way, no need for a comma after please.
Solution 3:
The main thing that bothers me about all three of the sentences is the implication that either 1) every time I check, the information will have been updated, or 2) I need to keep looking at the same "updated information" repeatedly so as not to forget it.
I think @Barrie made the correct suggestion in a comment when he put forth "Please check regularly for updates" as an option, which would cause the original sentence to become
Please check regularly for updated information about the meetings on the EBC website.