An exclamatory sentence is used express a sudden emotion. It could be fear, anger, anxiety, admiration, excitement etc.
Here are some tips for constructing exclamatory sentences.
Use what a before a singular noun.
- What a surprise!
Before an abstract noun or a plural noun, use what without a.
- What awful weather!
Use how before a modifying adjective, an adverb or a verb.
Exercise
Use as many sentences as you can with the words given in the columns of the table given below.
| What a | foolish guy
nice silly as pleasant goose rude |
I
man! she evening! surprise! you |
is!
am! is! are!
|
|
| What | treachery!
child-like innocence! awful weather! lovely flowers! |
|||
| How | clever
noble ridiculous! |
of
of |
you!
him to do that!
|
|
Examples are given below
- What a nice evening!
- What a pleasant surprise!
- What treachery!
- What awful weather!
- How noble of him to do that!
- How clever of you!
Note that it is possible to rewrite many of these sentences using a structure with it.
- It was very noble of him to do that.
- It was very clever of him.
More examples are given below.
- How kind of him to help the poor man!
- It was kind of him to help the poor man!
- How thoughtless of him not to have locked the car!
- It was thoughtless of him not to have locked the car.