Exclamatory Sentence
Separate sentence function from punctuation. A declarative or imperative can end with an exclamation mark, while a grammatical exclamative often uses “what” or “how” constructions. In formal prose, use exclamation sparingly unless the genre calls for it.
An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling, reaction, or emphasis. English includes recognizable exclamative patterns such as “What a remarkable result!” and “How quickly it changed!”, but an exclamation mark can also be attached to other sentence types for force.
Key details
Further guidance
Contrast
A declarative states, an interrogative asks, an imperative directs, and an exclamative foregrounds reaction or degree; punctuation can overlap these functional categories.
Punctuation
Use an exclamation mark when the genre and intended force justify it. Repeated exclamation marks usually add noise rather than clarity in professional or academic prose.
Recognize
Look at both the sentence structure and its communicative force. “What a difficult choice!” has a conventional exclamative pattern; “Leave now!” is imperative in structure but emphatic in delivery.
Worked Example
“How carefully she planned!” is exclamative; “She planned carefully!” is declarative in structure but can still be written with an exclamation mark for emphasis.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Exclamatory sentence (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Defines an exclamatory sentence as a sentence containing an exclamation or strong emphasis.
- Exclamative (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Defines exclamative constructions and supports distinguishing exclamatory sentence form from a general emotional statement or punctuation mark alone.