Oh, and definitely don't use more than one exclamation mark. Your readers will quickly start to question your writing skills and even your sincerity if you make a habit of using exclamation marks and not word choice to portray the importance of a statement. Don't put an exclamation mark at the end of a declarative sentence (a matter-of-fact statement) just to highlight its importance. If you add emotion to everything, you add emotion to nothing.Īn exclamatory sentence can be useful for emphasizing a point but only when the emphasis is achieved by expressing an emotion. An exclamatory sentence delivers a jolt of emotion. Why Should I Care about Exclamatory Sentences?ĭon't overuse exclamatory sentences.

Unless you're texting your mates, don't use '?!' or '!?'.) (This is an interrogative sentence (i.e., a question), but there is no question mark because the need to express emotion trumps the need to highlight it as a question. Of interest, 'Shut the front door!' could be an exclamatory sentence because nowadays it is often used as a synonym for 'No way!'.)

An imperative sentence often ends with an exclamation mark to make the order more forceful. (This is an imperative sentence (i.e., an order). Oh! Most miserable wretch that I am! Why have I not learnt how to swim? (Alexander the Great, aka Alexander III of Macedon)īe aware that not every sentence that ends with an exclamation mark is an exclamatory sentence.(Interjections can be followed by an exclamation mark for a strong effect.) (Interjections can be followed by a comma for a mild effect.) Jeepers, you're actually up before lunch!.It's alive! It's alive! (Dr Frankenstein)Īn exclamatory sentence is often preceded by an interjection (shown in bold):.You make the beds, you do the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again.Real-Life Examples of Exclamatory Sentences (In this example, 'how' is an interrogative adverb.) (In this example, 'what' is an interrogative pronoun.) The words 'what' and 'how' are most commonly used to ask questions (i.e., in interrogative sentences). The most commonly cited examples are from Little Red Riding Hood: 'What' and 'how' can be used to form exclamatory sentences. Jeepers! You scared the life out of me!Įxclamatory Sentences Starting with 'What' and 'How'.Here are some examples of exclamatory sentences: They are quite rare in business correspondence, where a level head usually needs to be portrayed. In other words, an exclamatory sentence makes a statement (just like a declarative sentence), but it also conveys excitement or emotion.Įxclamatory sentences are common in adverts and informal correspondence (e.g., emails, texts). What Is an Exclamatory Sentence? (with Examples)Īn exclamatory sentence conveys a strong emotion and ends with an exclamation mark (!).Īn exclamatory sentence, or exclamation, is a more forceful version of a declarative sentence.

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