LoginExclamatory Mood
In this article, you'll dive into the exclamatory mood, like 'How amazing!'. Detailed explanations and a quiz are included to test your knowledge.
What Is Exclamatory Mood?
Exclamatory mood' is a type of grammatical mood used to convey excitement, surprise, or other strong feelings. Exclamatory sentences are often identified by an exclamation mark at the end, which signals to the reader or listener that the sentence should be read or spoken with a strong emphasis or tone.
How to Identify Exclamatory Mood?
The use of the exclamatory mood is often indicated by a change in the speaker's voice tone in spoken language, which conveys a strong emotion or feeling. However, when reading or writing a passage, the presence of an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence is typically the most reliable indicator of the exclamatory mood.
What a nice dress!
She shouted at me!
Tone
Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether a sentence is declarative or exclamatory, particularly when declarative sentences are followed by an exclamation mark. In these cases, to make the mood of the sentence clear, it is crucial to use emphasis on certain words using italics or bold font to highlight key phrases.
She is married to John!
The church is burned down!
What and How
The exclamatory mood can also be indicated using wh-words such as what and how . When forming an exclamatory sentence using wh-words, an unusual word order known as anastrophe is often used to create a more dramatic effect. Anastrophe involves rearranging the normal word order of a sentence for emphasis or stylistic effect.
For example, in interrogative sentences, wh-words such as 'what' and 'how' are typically followed by an auxiliary to form a question. However, in exclamatory sentences formed with wh-words, the word order is different. For example:
How drunk was I!
What an idiot he was!
Expressions with What and How
Sometimes English speakers shorten exclamatory sentences by omitting the verb in exclamations that contain what and how. In this case, an exclamatory expression is formed. Take a look at some examples:
What a disaster!
How funny!
Overusing Exclamations
While the use of exclamatory sentences can add emphasis and emotion to a sentence, overusing them can have the opposite effect and make the writing appear insincere or unprofessional. In formal writing, it is generally best to avoid excessive use of exclamatory sentences.
Interjections
'Interjections' are a type of word or sound used in English to express strong feelings such as pain, anger, or disgust. Interjections are sometimes followed by an exclamation mark to emphasize the strong emotion being conveyed.
Interjections can be used alone or in combination with other words to form exclamatory statements. When used in combination with other words, interjections are typically separated by a comma. Take a look at the examples:
Ouch! it hurt.
Ugh!
Wow, look at the city!
Nailed it, bingo!
Exclamatory Questions
An exclamation question is a type of interrogative sentence that is followed not by a question mark, but by an exclamation mark. This creates a sentence that conveys both the meaning and emotion of an exclamatory sentence. For example:
Isn't he a wise man!
Boy am I stupid!
Punctuation
Do not use (?!) or (!?) at the end of the exclamation questions, unless it is a rather informal text.
Review
Exclamatory sentences are used to reveal emotions. There are different ways to make exclamatory sentences; here are the most important exclamatives.
Exclamatory questions
Exclamatory with Interjections
Exclamatory with how and what
Quiz:
Which of the following sentences is an example of the exclamatory mood?
Are you going to the party tonight?
She is very tired.
What an amazing performance that was!
He plays the guitar well.
Which sentence is an exclamatory question?
Why did you do that?
Isn't this weather perfect!
How dare you?
What time is it?
Sort the words to form an exclamatory sentence.
Match each special form of exclamatory sentence with the corresponding example.
Fill the blanks with "what" or "how" to form exclamatory sentences.
an impressive painting that is!
gracefully he dances!
a terrible mistake you made!
generous of her to donate so much!
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