Declarative Mood

declarative mood

There are different types of moods in English. Each shows a special manner toward the subject. In this article, we will focus on the declarative mood.

intermediate

What Is "Declarative Mood" in the English Grammar

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 typically starts with a subject followed by a verb and an object 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 seems friendly.

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. Check out the examples:

I am bored . Want a new job.

'What will you do?' 'Stay here till tomorrow.'

Inversion

In some cases, a sentence may 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.

Affirmative or Negative

Facts can be stated in both affirmative and negative forms. Negative statements, as the name suggests, include a negation in the form of a negative verb. 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)

a sentence in the declarative mood

Using Do, Does, Did

In affirmative sentences, it is not necessary to use auxiliary verbs (do, does, did). However, they can be used for emphasis or to indicate a specific meaning. Auxiliary verbs can also be used as the main verb in a sentence, in which case they are necessary to convey the intended meaning.
Check out the examples:

She does wash the dishes tonight.

People did go on a protest last night.

Punctuation

Do not forget that the '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.

Passive or Active

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 important moods in English grammar. Let us see what it is used for:

To express facts
To give information
To make arguments

Moods

Moods and tenses are different concepts in English grammar that are widely confused. In this lesson, we will learn all about moods in English grammar.

Imperative Mood

If you're wondering what the word 'imperative' means, in grammar, imperatives are verbs that are used to tell somebody what to do or not to do.

Subjunctive Mood

Subjunctive is a form or mood of verbs that helps us talk about wishes, possibility or uncertainty. To learn about this mood, start reading this article.

Interrogative Mood

Interrogative mood is a form of verb that is used to ask questions. Now if you want to learn how to make questions correctly, read this article.

Exclamatory Mood

There are six moods in English grammar. In this article, we will focus on the exclamatory mood. Exclamatives are moods of feelings.

Conditional Mood

Have you ever thought about something that might have happened if there was a different situation in the past? Conditionals help us talk about possibilities.

Download LanGeek app

Langeek