How to Use Exclamatory Sentences｜Basic Rules and the Difference Between What and How

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.

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:

Key points:

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

Izumi

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「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。