Updated on December 10, 2024
by PushtoLearn
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Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentences are sentences used to express strong emotions such as surprise, excitement, anger, happiness, or disbelief. These sentences convey feelings in a more powerful way than regular sentences. Exclamatory sentences often end with an exclamation mark (!) and are usually short and to the point.

Exclamatory Sentences - Exercises

These exercises focus on Exclamatory Sentences

 

Structure of Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentences typically start with "what" or "how" when describing something impressive or surprising. However, they don’t always follow standard subject-verb order, and often leave out the subject to make the statement more powerful.

  • What + noun phrase + !

  • How + adjective/adverb + !

Examples:

  • "What a beautiful day!"

  • "How amazing this place is!"

  • "What a surprise!"

  • "How sweet of you!"

Illustration of Exclamatory Sentences

Common Forms of Exclamatory Sentences

  1. Using "What" with a Noun Phrase

    • Use "what" followed by a noun or noun phrase.

    • Examples:

      • "What a beautiful garden!"

      • "What a great idea!"

      • "What an amazing performance!"

  2. Using "How" with an Adjective or Adverb

    • Use "how" followed by an adjective or adverb to express feelings about a quality or action.

    • Examples:

      • "How wonderful it is to see you!"

      • "How quickly you finished the work!"

      • "How kind of you to help!"

  3. Short Exclamations with Strong Emotions

    • Sometimes, a single word or short phrase can serve as an exclamatory sentence.

    • Examples:

      • "Wow!"

      • "Incredible!"

      • "Unbelievable!"

      • "Fantastic!"

  4. Exclamations with Verbs of Emotion

    • Some exclamatory sentences directly express feelings with verbs like love, hate, wish.

    • Examples:

      • "I love this song!"

      • "I hate when this happens!"

      • "I wish I could join you!"

Examples of Exclamatory Sentences in Context

  • "What a beautiful dress you’re wearing!"

  • "How brave you are!"

  • "This cake is delicious!"

  • "Oh no! I forgot my keys!"

  • "Look at that view! Isn’t it amazing?"

Difference Between Exclamatory and Declarative Sentences

  • Exclamatory Sentence: "What a fantastic movie!"

  • Declarative Sentence: "The movie is fantastic."

Exclamatory sentences express emotion or excitement, while declarative sentences simply state facts or information without strong emotion.

Summary Table

Type

Example

Using "What" + noun

"What a surprise!"

Using "How" + adjective/adverb

"How beautiful this is!"

Short exclamation

"Wow!"

Emotion verb

"I love this place!"

FAQ

Can any sentence become exclamatory?

No, only sentences that express strong emotion or excitement. Statements that simply give information or are neutral are not exclamatory.

Do exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation mark?

Yes, exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation mark (!) to show emotion or emphasis.

Can exclamatory sentences start with verbs?

Generally, exclamatory sentences start with "what" or "how," but if the verb itself shows emotion (like "wish" or "love"), it can start the sentence (e.g., "I wish I could go!").

Is it okay to use multiple exclamatory marks?

In formal writing, it’s best to use just one exclamation mark. Using more than one (like "!!!") is more common in informal writing or texting.

Can a question be exclamatory?

Yes, questions with strong emotion are called exclamatory questions, like "Isn’t this amazing!" or "How could you do that!

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