Declarative Mood
In this article, you'll dive into the declarative mood, like 'They went to the park'. Detailed explanations and a quiz are included to test your knowledge.
What Do We Mean by Declarative Mood?
Declarative mood (also called indicative mood) describes the type of sentence that makes a statement or declaration. In other words, a declarative sentence is a sentence that declares or asserts a fact, opinion, or idea. Declarative sentences are the most common type of sentence in the English language.
Word Order
A declarative statement is said to be grammatically unmarked, since it typically starts with a subject followed by a verb and a verb complement can follow the verb if necessary. This is the most common and expected word order for a declarative statement. However, there are cases where the word order can change or be modified for emphasis or other purposes.
Pay attention to the examples:
Peter likes chocolate.
Taylor acts weird.
No Subjects
In some cases, a sentence may appear to lack a subject, especially in spoken language. However, there may be a hidden subject that is implied or understood by both the speaker and the listener. Such sentences are typically formed through processes of ellipsis. Check out the examples:
I am bored. Want a new job.
- 'What will you do?' + 'Stay here till tomorrow.'
Inversion
In some cases, inversion might cause a sentence to begin with a verb before the subject is added, especially for emphasis. This can create confusion about whether the sentence is declarative or not. However, even if the subject is added later in the sentence, if the sentence is ultimately stating a fact or expressing an opinion, it is still considered declarative. For example:
Here comes the rain again.
I can't run very fast and neither can my friend.
Affirmative or Negative
Facts can be stated in both affirmative and negative forms. Negative statements, as the name suggests, include a negation using a negative marker. This is used to indicate the absence or non-existence of something or to deny a fact or assertion. For example:
I study English at university. (Affirmative)
She doesn't like Jimmy. (Negative)
Punctuation
Declarative sentences always end in a period (.).
The bird lays five eggs per year.
Basketball players are practicing for the final game.
Tense
Declarative sentences can be used in all tenses, including past, present, and future. The tense used in a declarative sentence depends on the context and the intended message that the speaker or writer wishes to convey. Tak a look at the examples:
They went on a holiday.
Tina will be having lunch tomorrow at 1 pm.
Voice
Declarative sentences can be formed in both passive and active voices, depending on the intended emphasis and meaning. There is no limitation in this regard, as long as the intended meaning is conveyed clearly and accurately.
Rachel gave birth to this angle.
Humans are born with hidden talents.
Review
There are different moods in English. Declarative mood is one of the most common moods in English grammar. Let us see what it is used for:
To express facts
To give information
To make arguments
Quiz:
Which sentence is in the declarative mood?
Please submit your assignment by Friday.
The sun rises in the east.
Have you finished reading the book?
What a stunning performance!
Sort the words to make a declarative sentence.
Which inverted sentence is still declarative?
Never have I seen such a mess!
Here comes the bus.
Are you coming to the party?
What a brilliant idea!
Match each form of declarative with the correct example.
Choose true or false for each statement
Declarative sentences always end with a period. | |
Declarative sentences cannot use passive voice. | |
Negative statements are not declarative. | |
Declarative sentences can be in future tense. |
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