The Basics of the Infinitive｜How to Use “to + Base Verb” with Examples
Izumi English Morning
How to Use Exclamatory Sentences｜Basic Rules and the Difference Between What and How
Izumi
In English, there is a sentence structure used to express emotions such as “How 〜!” or “What 〜!”. This is called an exclamatory sentence.
Exclamatory sentences are used when I want to convey strong emotions such as surprise, joy, sadness, or admiration. There are two major types of exclamatory sentences: those beginning with What and those beginning with How.
In this lesson, I will explain the basic structure of exclamatory sentences, as well as the difference between using What and How, with examples.
Contents
1. Basic Rules of Exclamatory Sentences
In English, I use exclamatory sentences when I want to strongly emphasize my feelings, such as “What a wonderful 〜!”. Compared with simply stating a sentence, exclamatory sentences are more expressive and are frequently used in both spoken and written English.
There are two main forms:
| Type of Exclamatory Sentence | Basic Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| With What | What + noun (phrase) + subject + verb! | Emphasizes a noun | What a beautiful day it is! |
| With How | How + adjective/adverb + subject + verb! | Emphasizes a quality or manner | How kind you are! |
Key points:
- Place What or How at the beginning of the sentence.
- End the sentence with an exclamation mark (!).
2. Exclamatory Sentences with What
When using What, I mainly emphasize a noun.
The basic structure is: What + (a / an) + noun + subject + verb!
2-1. When Emphasizing Singular Countable Nouns
For singular countable nouns, use a / an before the noun.
- What a beautiful view!
- What an exciting game it was!
Here, the nouns beautiful view and exciting game are emphasized, not just described neutrally, but with an emotional reaction.
2-2. When Emphasizing Plural or Uncountable Nouns
When emphasizing plural or uncountable nouns, do not use a / an.
- What wonderful flowers!
- What terrible weather we had yesterday!
- What delicious food this is!
The key is that plural and uncountable nouns can be emphasized directly.
3. Exclamatory Sentences with How
When using How, I emphasize an adjective or adverb.
The basic structure is: How + adjective/adverb + subject + verb!
- How delicious this cake is!
- How fast he runs!
- How tall that building is!
Use an adjective when emphasizing the quality of a person or thing, and an adverb when emphasizing the manner of an action.
4. Difference Between Exclamatory and Declarative Sentences
An exclamatory sentence is essentially a more emotional rephrasing of a regular declarative sentence.
- It is a beautiful day.
→ What a beautiful day it is! - She is very kind.
→ How kind she is!
By transforming a simple declarative sentence into an exclamatory sentence, I can add intensity to my feelings and make my English sound more natural and expressive.
5. Summary
- Exclamatory sentences emphasize feelings, and they always end with !.
- What-sentences emphasize nouns.
- How-sentences emphasize adjectives or adverbs.
- By rephrasing a normal sentence as an exclamatory sentence, conversations become more natural and expressive.
ABOUT ME
「English Morning｜基礎から学ぶ英語講座」を運営している泉（Izumi）です。このサイトでは基礎から応用まで、英語の文法を解説しています。
