How Many Kinds of Sentences are There in English

Introduction

There are four kinds of sentences - declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. The whole human language around the world is made up of sentences and these are the most basic four types which run throughout the world. Before trying to understand what each type is and how it is used in day-to-day life, we must know what sentences are.

What is a Sentence?

A sentence is a group of words arranged in a meaningful syntax. A sentence is complete in itself and is followed by appropriate punctuation depending on the kind of message it desires to convey.

Every sentence starts with a capital letter and can be divided into a subject and a predicate.

Types of Sentences

Sentences are broadly divided into four types. The division is made on the basis of the message they convey or their use. These types are -

1. Declarative sentences - Sentences that declare a proposition is called declarative sentences.

2. Interrogative sentences - Sentences that ask a question are called interrogative sentences.

3. Imperative sentences - Sentences that give a command are called imperative sentences.

4. Exclamatory sentences - Sentences that express great emotion are called exclamatory sentences.

Below is a detailed description of all the types of sentences.

Declarative Sentences

As the word suggests, declarative sentences have something to declare. That is to say, any sentence in the English language which states a fact gives an explanation, or simply describes a situation is called a declarative sentence.

A declarative sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.

For instance,

• Radha has a blue ball.

• Ram is crying because he has hurt his leg.

Both these sentences are declarative in nature. In the first sentence, a fact is told that Radha has a blue ball. In the second sentence, an explanation is provided as to why Ram is crying.

Interrogative Sentences

As the word suggests, interrogative sentences interrogate. That is to say, any sentence in the English language which asks questions is called an interrogative sentence. These sentences generally ask the questions “why”, “where”, “who”, “whom”, “what”, and “how”.

These sentences also begin with a capital letter but end with a question mark (?).

For instance,

• Who ruined the painting?

• Where are you going?

Both sentences are asking questions. The first sentence is asking about the person behind a ruined painting. The send sentence is asking the listener where they are about to go.

Notice how both sentences ended with a question mark.

Imperative Sentences

As the word suggests, imperative sentences give commands. That is to say, any sentence in the English language which gives commands or asks for requests to be fulfilled is called an imperative sentence. Unlike the previously mentioned types of sentences, imperative sentences have a direct receiver.

For instance,

• Please help me climb this tree.

• Do not speak so loudly.

Both sentences are imperative in nature. The first sentence is a request made to the listener to help the speaker climb up a tree. The second sentence is a command given to the listener by the speaker asking them not to speak loudly.

Just like declarative sentences, imperative sentences also end with a full stop.

Exclamatory Sentences

As the word suggests, exclamatory sentences are spoken when the speaker experiences great emotion. If you feel angry, sad, or happy to a great extent, you might turn to exclamatory sentences to express yourself.

Exclamatory sentences can be written in two ways. The first way is to use the exclamatory mark right after the interjection and put a full stop at the end of the sentence. The second way is to put a comma after the interjection and end the sentence with an exclamation mark.

For instance,

• Alas! She lost her pet kitten.

• Oh, what a lovely morning!

Notice how both sentences show strong emotions but are written in different ways.

The first sentence is an example of the first way of writing an exclamatory sentence as mentioned above. The sentence shows that the speaker feels great sadness for a person who lost her cat.

The second sentence is an example of the second way of writing an explanatory sentence. The sentence shows how happy the speaker is about being greeted by a beautiful morning.

Conclusion

Our human language is made up of a variety of sentences. These sentences are divided into four basic categories - declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences.

Each of these sentences has a different purpose to serve. Depending on where we use it and to express what kind of information, one can use either a declarative sentence, an interrogative sentence, an imperative sentence, or an exclamatory sentence.