A declarative sentence explains.
An exclamatory sentence shouts.
An interrogative sentence asks.
An imperative sentence commands.
Sentences have different functions.
Sentences are categorized by their purpose. They may be
declarative (statement)
exclamatory (shouting)
interrogative (question)
imperative (command)
The function of a statement is to describe, inform, deny, or explain. It ends with a period (.).
Examples:
- The couple huddles together in the cold weather, wrapped in a single blanket, shivering, but waiting eagerly for the bus to take them to the board meeting.
- The public board meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the county courthouse to discuss the change in regulations regarding the use of county equipment.
- Nobody would be allowed to use any form of county equipment, including pencils and paperclips, without express permission from a county commissioner who has served on the board for at least six months.
- The new regulation is intended to protect county property and save the taxpayer money.
- Only the future will determine its success.
The function of a question is to ask something or to verify something. Questions end with a question mark (?).
Examples:
- Who is allowed to attend the meeting?
- What time did you say that the meeting begins?
- When will they discuss the change in regulations?
- Where will the meeting take place?
- Why are they proposing this new regulation?
- How do they intend to enforce it?
Question tags can be positive or negative. Positive tags follow negative statements, and negative tags follow positive statements.
Examples of question tags:
- is it?
- does he?
- will we?
- can they?
- right?
- isn’t it?
- doesn’t he?
- won’t we?
- can’t they?
- no?
Examples:
- This new regulation is a little extreme, isn’t it?
- Board meetings always begin at 7:00 pm, don’t they?
- They can’t do that, can they?
- They don’t really care about paper clips, do they?
- It will work, won’t it?
Examples:
- Will the public board meeting begin at 7:00 pm?
- Does the new regulation include pencils and pens?
- Has the new regulation been approved yet?
- Can it be enforced?
- Will it work?
An exclamation mark at the end usually indicates heightened emotion.
Exclamation marks should be used sparingly in fiction, mostly in dialogue. They are not appropriate for non-fiction.
Examples:
- Ouch!
- He hit me!
- Don’t do that!
- I have told you a million times not to hit people!
- The sky is falling!
Most people will not expect to see an interrobang as they read, but they are becoming more common.
Examples:
- The county commissioners are instigating a new policy to protect pencils and paper clips?!
- The sky is falling?!
Examples:
- This new regulation includes pencils and paper clips?
- Board meetings always begin a 7:00 p.m.?
- They can do that?
- Paper clips count?
The function of a command is to issue an order, generally from someone with authority, anyone from your two-year-old child to a five-star general.
Occasionally, a command will be accompanied by “please.”
Examples:
- Tie my shoe!
- Take this message to the admiral.
- Hit a home run!
- Please bring me that book from the top shelf, the brown one with the bookmark.
Examples:
- (Ranch owner to cowhand) I would like you to round up the cows in the north pasture before dark.
- (Sargent to new private) I want you to take this message to the captain.
- (Priest to person in confession booth) You really ought to read The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.
Credits: Photo by Medienstürmer, Photo by Chris Moore, Photo by Tim Mossholder, Photo by Mark Duffel on Unsplash
