Grammar review: types of sentences

There are four types of sentences in English.

  1. Declarative or assertive sentence
  2. Exclamatory sentence
  3. Imperative sentence
  4. Interrogative sentence

Declarative sentence

A declarative sentence makes a simple statement.

Declarative sentences are of two types – affirmative sentences and negative sentences.

Examples are:

  • She is my sister.
  • He works at a family.
  • Birds live in nests.
  • We don’t have pets.
  • I don’t know the answer.
  • I didn’t do anything.

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

Exclamatory sentence

An exclamatory sentence expresses a sudden emotion.

  • How beautiful she is!
  • What a lovely evening!
  • How disgusting!

An exclamatory sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with an exclamation mark.

Imperative sentence

An imperative sentence expresses a command or request. Note that in imperative sentences, the subject is not usually mentioned.

  • Come here. (Here the subject ‘you’ is not mentioned, but it is understood.)
  • Keep quiet.
  • Get me that file.
  • Sit down.

Note that the subject of an imperative sentence is always the pronoun ‘you’.

Imperative sentences begin with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.

Interrogative sentence

An interrogative sentence asks a question.

  • What is your name?
  • Who is he?
  • Where are you going?
  • Are you coming with us?
  • Does she work here?

An interrogative sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.