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GRAMMAR LESSON

Types of Sentences

Intermediate

Sentence Function

UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN

The rule in plain English

Sentence forms serve different purposes: declaratives usually state something, interrogatives ask questions, imperatives give commands or requests, and exclamatives express an exclamation. Purpose and form can overlap: “Could you help?” is a question used as a request.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

Examples in context

  1. I enjoy long walks. — statement
  2. Where do you live? — question
  3. Please pass the salt. — request in imperative form

MAKE IT STICK

Put the rule into practice

Try 3 questions. Read the explanation after each answer, then review any mistakes and try again.

Make it yours

Write one sentence about your life using this grammar.

Check your sentence

Sentence forms serve different purposes: declaratives usually state something, interrogatives ask questions, imperatives give commands or requests, and exclamatives express an exclamation. Purpose and form can overlap: “Could you help?” is a question used as a request.

Compare: I enjoy long walks. — statement

Check the sentence structure and whether your meaning fits the rule.

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GO DEEPER

Explore the full explanation

Four common sentence forms

Grammar courses often introduce four forms: declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamative. Their typical purposes are statements, questions, instructions and exclamations. Form and purpose do not always match exactly.

  • Declarative: The lesson starts at nine. It normally makes a statement.
  • Interrogative: Does the lesson start at nine? It normally asks a question.
  • Imperative: Open your notebook. It normally gives an instruction, request or invitation.
  • Exclamative: What a useful lesson this is! It emphasises a reaction.

Look beyond the punctuation

An exclamation mark expresses emphasis; it does not automatically change the grammatical form. I am so tired! is declarative in form and exclamatory in use. Traditional school exercises may group such expressions under the broader label exclamatory sentences.

A question can function as a request: Could you open the window? An imperative can be a friendly invitation: Come in and have a seat. Identify the structure and then consider the speaker’s purpose.

Instructions and tone

Imperatives normally use the base verb and omit the subject you: Take a break. Use don’t + base verb for a negative: Don’t close the book yet.

Send me the file now is grammatical, but may sound abrupt. Please send me the file when you can changes the tone. Grammar and politeness are related teaching topics, not the same judgement.

Quick self-check

  1. What form is Please sit down?
  2. Make an interrogative: She is ready.
  3. Does adding ! automatically make every sentence exclamative in grammatical form?
Check the answers

1. Imperative, softened with please. 2. Is she ready? 3. No. Punctuation can signal emphasis without changing sentence structure.

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