Exclamatory Sentence
Learn what an exclamatory sentence is, its types, structure, examples, rules, and common mistakes with this beginner-friendly English grammar lesson.
Exclamatory Sentence
An Exclamatory Sentence is a sentence that expresses strong feelings or emotions, such as joy, surprise, sorrow, anger, excitement, admiration, or disappointment.
An exclamatory sentence usually ends with an exclamation mark (!).
Examples
- What a beautiful flower!
- How wonderful the weather is!
- Wow! That's amazing!
- Alas! He is no more.
- Hurray! We won the match.
Types of Exclamatory Sentences
1. Joy
Expresses happiness or excitement.
Examples
- Hurray! We have won.
- What a wonderful day!
- I'm so excited!
2. Surprise
Expresses astonishment.
Examples
- Wow! That's incredible!
- What an amazing performance!
- Really! I can't believe it!
3. Sorrow
Expresses sadness or grief.
Examples
- Alas! He is dead.
- How unfortunate!
- What a tragic accident!
4. Admiration
Expresses praise or appreciation.
Examples
- What a brilliant idea!
- How talented she is!
- What a beautiful painting!
5. Anger
Expresses anger or frustration.
Examples
- What nonsense!
- How careless you are!
- Stop it right now!
Structure
Using "What"
What + (a/an) + Adjective + Noun + Subject + Verb!
Examples:
- What a beautiful garden it is!
- What an interesting story this is!
- What lovely flowers they are!
Using "How"
How + Adjective/Adverb + Subject + Verb!
Examples:
- How beautiful she is!
- How quickly time flies!
- How kind you are!
Using Interjections
Interjections are often used to express sudden emotions.
Common interjections:
- Wow!
- Hurray!
- Alas!
- Bravo!
- Oh!
- Oops!
Examples
- Wow! That's fantastic!
- Bravo! You did a great job.
- Alas! We lost the game.
Characteristics of an Exclamatory Sentence
- Expresses strong emotion.
- Ends with an exclamation mark (!).
- Often begins with What, How, or an interjection.
- Used to express joy, surprise, admiration, sorrow, anger, or excitement.
Examples
| Sentence | Emotion |
|---|---|
| What a beautiful view! | Admiration |
| How lucky you are! | Joy |
| Alas! He failed the exam. | Sorrow |
| Wow! That's incredible! | Surprise |
| What nonsense! | Anger |
Exclamatory vs Other Sentence Types
| Sentence Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Assertive | States information | She is a teacher. |
| Interrogative | Asks a question | Is she a teacher? |
| Imperative | Gives a command | Please open the door. |
| Optative | Expresses a wish | May you succeed! |
| Exclamatory | Expresses strong emotion | What a beautiful day! |
Rules
- Begin with a capital letter.
- End with an exclamation mark (!).
- Use What before noun phrases.
- Use How before adjectives or adverbs.
- Choose an appropriate interjection to express emotion when needed.
Common Mistakes
❌ What beautiful flower!
✅ What a beautiful flower!
❌ How beautifully she is!
✅ How beautiful she is!
❌ What an beautiful idea!
✅ What a beautiful idea!
Quick Quiz
1. Which is an exclamatory sentence?
A. She is my friend.
B. Please close the window.
C. What a lovely day!
D. Where do you live?
Answer: C
2. Which punctuation mark is commonly used in an exclamatory sentence?
A. .
B. ?
C. !
D. ,
Answer: C
3. Which word is commonly used to begin an exclamatory sentence about a noun?
A. Who
B. What
C. Which
D. Where
Answer: B
Summary
- An Exclamatory Sentence expresses strong feelings or emotions.
- It usually ends with an exclamation mark (!).
- It often begins with What, How, or an interjection.
- Exclamatory sentences express emotions such as joy, surprise, sorrow, admiration, anger, and excitement.
Next Lessons
- Assertive Sentence
- Interrogative Sentence
- Imperative Sentence
- Optative Sentence
- Types of Sentences