Types of sentences: Interrogative and imperative, exclamatory and optional

Questions and answers about types of sentences, such as interrogative, exclamatory, declarative, imperative and optional. See examples of each.

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What is a sentence and what are the types of sentences?

When we think of language, we must take discursive intentionality into account, that is, what message we want to pass through our communication. That is why a sentence is a written or spoken statement with a complete feeling, in writing we need to take care of the punctuation marks, as they will be responsible for understanding the sentence, it reveals our feelings and intentions in relation to what we want to convey. In speech we perceive the intention through the tone of voice used in the sentence, so we have phrases: exclamatory, interrogative, declarative- negative and affirmative- and imperative.

Exclamatory

In exclamatory phrases, the sender of the external message is an emotion, an affective state. The intonation may be somewhat prolonged.

Examples:

  • “What a heavy rain!”
  • “This movie is really good!”
  • “What delicious food!”
  • “How many people in this place!”

Interrogations

Interrogative phrases are present in our vocabulary when a question is asked by whoever sends the message. They are used to know or confirm something, with interrogation being either direct or indirect. In the direct questions we use the question mark and in the indirect questions we use the final point.

Examples:

  • “I wonder if you sell pastries?” (Indirect interrogation);
  • “Do you sell pastries?” (Direct interrogation);
  • “I wonder if she likes country music?” (Indirect interrogation);
  • “Does she like country music?” (Direct interrogation).

Declarative

A declarative sentence appears when a fact is pointed out. This type of sentence gives information or comments on something, and is classified into affirmative or negative statements.

Examples:

  • “She arrived early.” (Affirmative statement)
  • “He doesn’t care about pleasing anyone.” (Negative statement)
  • “The birds in the park are happier these days.” (Affirmative statement)
  • “My aunt is not coming for lunch next weekend.” (Negative statement)

Imperative

Imperative phrases appear when a command is given by whoever sends the message; when advising or asking for something using the verb imperatively. These can also be affirmative or negative.

Examples:

  • “Go inside the house right now.” (Affirmative imperative);
  • “Don’t you dare go out in the cold without a coat.” (Negative imperative);
  • “It is best not to disturb your mother while she is cooking.” (Negative imperative);
  • “Go to the market to get bread for me.” (Imperative affirmative).

Optional

Optional phrases are used to express a desire from the sender of the message. And it must be punctuated with the exclamation point.

Examples:

  • “Good luck in the race tomorrow.”
  • “May the force be with you.”
  • “God enlighten you in this surgery.”
  • “May the winds take you home.”

What are nominal phrases?

Nominal sentences are those composed without the use of any verb.

Examples:

  • “Disgusting!”
  • “Cheers!”
  • “Congratulations for your success.”
  • “How wonderful!”

What are verbal phrases?

Verbal sentences, as the name says, are made using the verb

 

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