Exclamatory Sentences: Examples, Use Cases, Prepa Ration tips, Practice Questions with Answers

Exclamatory sentences are used to express strong emotions and feelings like excitement, surprise, anger, or other intense emotions in the English language. These are complete sentences, containing a subject and a predicate.

Exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation mark (!), which visually indicates the emotional emphasis.

Examples:

• "I can't believe it!"
• "How delicious the meal is!"
• "Ouch, that hurts!"
• "Hooray, we won!"
• "You did it!"

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Exclamatory sentences are the ones “containing an exclamation or strong emphasis”.

An exclamatory sentence, according to Collins English Dictionary, is a “sentence that expresses strong emotion or feeling, such as joy, surprise, anger, or excitement. It typically ends with an exclamation mark.”

It is pronounced as uk  /ɪksˌklæm.ə.tər.i ˈsen.təns/ us  /eksˌklæm.ə.tɔːr.i ˈsen.təns/

Exclamatory sentences can be simple, like "Wow!", or more complex, conveying a mix of emotions like surprise, excitement, anger, or admiration.

Let’s take a look at different types of Exclamatory sentences:

An exclamatory sentence in English grammar expresses a strong emotion or sudden feeling. If you notice closely, students can identify various examples of exclamatory sentences in their real life scenarios. For example:

• Wow, the pizza is delicious!
• Ouch, I hurt myself!
• What are you saying!

Here are some rules that students should follow while they use exclamatory sentences in their conversations:

• Exclamatory sentences should convey strong emotion, a sentiment beyond a simple statement.
• They always end with an exclamation mark (!).
• They often use words like "what," "how," or interjections to draw attention to the emotion being expressed.
• They can be used in various sentence structures, from simple to complex.
• They are rarely used in formal writing owing to their nature.

Here’s a look at the structure of exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation mark. They often begin with "What" or "How" and can follow patterns like:

Example:

• What a beautiful day it is!
• What an amazing day!
• What a delicious meal we had!

or

Example:

• How beautifully she sings!
• How cute the baby is!
• How difficult the task is!

exclamation mark are not exclamatory! Here are few exceptions:

• Words like "Ouch!" or "Yay!" are interjections, even with an exclamation mark, unless they are used in larger sentences.
• Commands or requests can be stressed upon with an exclamation mark but they are classified as imperative sentences, not exclamatory, based on their function. For example: “Shut the door!”
• A declarative sentence uses an exclamation mark to add emotional weight but it does not become exclamatory. For example, “The dog is sleeping like a baby!”

Also Read: 

• Prefixes Types in English
• How to Use Adjectives in English?

Students can sometimes get confused between the three types of sentences. Let’s see their comparisons, usage and examples, for clarity.

Exclamatory Sentences v/s Declarative Sentences 

Declarative sentences state facts or make statements and end with a period (.), while Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or surprise and end with an exclamation mark (!). Exclamatory sentences are often more forceful versions of declarative sentences. Let’s see more in detail:

Also Read: 

• English Subject and Predicate: Meaning and Examples
• English Vocabulary: Tips and Rules

Exclamatory Sentences v/s Interrogative Sentences

An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark (?). An exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotion and ends with an exclamation mark (!). Here are some examples with some more details:

Comparison: Exclamatory vs Declarative vs Interrogative Sentences

Students are advised to follow these tips and tricks to master the subject of exclamatory sentences in English grammar. From reading a lot to making best use of online services available, students should adopt methods to practice the topic as much as possible. This will enhance the understanding and correct usage of exclamatory sentences in English language. Here are some tips students can keep in mind for the same. 

• Understand the usage, meaning and context of exclamatory sentences
• Conclude the sentence with an exclamation mark, which helps identify it as an exclamatory sentence
• Read lots of books and journals to understand the usage of exclamatory sentences in English speech
• Ask yourself different questions to understand the category and type of exclamatory sentence
• Make use of online services available to understand and practice the topic better

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