Whereas sentence structure refers to the form of sentences in a language, sentence purpose refers to the function of sentences. Four types of sentence purposes exist in the English language: declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences, and exclamatory sentences.
Declarative Sentences
The first type of sentence in the English language is the declarative sentence. Declarative sentences, or declarations, convey information or make statements. For example:
Periods indicate declarative sentences in written English.
Interrogative Sentences
The second type of sentence in the English language is the interrogative sentence. Interrogative sentences, or questions, request information or ask questions. For example:
A tag question, or question tag or tail question, is a grammatical structure that converts a declarative or imperative sentence into a question through the addition of an interrogative fragment on the end of the sentence. For example:
Rising intonation at the end of a sentence can also create an interrogative from a declarative structure. For example:
An interrogative word can also create an interrogative from a declarative structure. For example:
Question marks indicate interrogative sentences in written English.
Imperative Sentences
The third type of sentence in the English language is the imperative sentence. Imperative sentences, or imperatives, make commands or requests. For example:
Periods and exclamation marks indicate imperative sentences in written English.
Exclamatory Sentences
The fourth type of sentence in the English language is the exclamatory sentence. Exclamatory sentences, or exclamations, show emphasis. Unlike the other three sentences purposes, exclamatory sentences are not a distinct sentence type. Instead, declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences become exclamatory through added emphasis. For example:
Exclamation marks and interrobangs indicate exclamatory forms of sentences in written English.
The four types of sentence purposes in the English language are declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences, and exclamatory sentences.
Summary
The four types of sentence purposes in the English language are declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.
Declarative sentences, or declarations, convey information or make statements.
Interrogative sentences, or questions, request information or ask questions.
Imperative sentences, or imperatives, make commands or requests.
Exclamatory sentences, or exclamations, show emphasis.
This post was originally published on May 2, 2014 and updated on May 10, 2023.
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Huddleston, Rodney. 1984. Introduction to the grammar of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kosur, Heather Marie. 2021. A Form-Function Description of the Grammar of the Modern English Language: Book 1 (Level 7). Rock Pickle Publishing.
Kosur, Heather Marie. 2021. A Form-Function Description of the Grammar of the Modern English Language: Book 1 (Level 8). Rock Pickle Publishing.
