Sentence Types
A2 · ElementarySentence Structure & ClausesThe sun rises. Did it rise? Rise early. What a sunrise! Every English sentence does one of four jobs — and looks different depending on which.
What you'll learn
- Declarative sentences make statements and end with a period — the most common type by far
- Interrogative sentences ask questions and end with a question mark
- Imperative sentences give commands or instructions and usually end with a period (or an exclamation mark for urgency)
- Exclamatory sentences express strong feeling and end with an exclamation mark
Four jobs a sentence can do
Every English sentence is classified by its purpose into one of four types: declarative (a statement), interrogative (a question), imperative (a command), or exclamatory (strong feeling). The punctuation mark at the end is a direct clue to which type it is.
Declarative: making a statement
A declarative sentence simply states a fact, opinion, or idea. It's the default, most common sentence type, and it ends with a period. Its word order is subject, then verb.
The other three, in brief
Interrogative sentences (questions) usually invert the subject and auxiliary — see the Questions category for the full rules. Imperative sentences (commands) drop the subject and use the base verb — see Positive and Negative Imperatives. Exclamatory sentences express strong feeling with What...! or How...! — see Exclamations for the full pattern.
Real English
Watch out
A declarative sentence stating a fact ends with a period, not a question mark, even if the intonation might rise in speech.
A genuine interrogative sentence inverts the subject and auxiliary — see the Questions category for the full rule.
An imperative sentence drops the subject entirely — adding 'you' turns it back into a declarative statement.
Real life — A quick exchange
"We live in Paris now."
"Really? Where exactly?"
"Near the river. You should visit!"
"I'd love that — what a city."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Identify the sentence type
'The sun rises in the east.' — What type of sentence is this?
Exercise 2 · Identify the sentence type
'Did you finish the report?' — What type of sentence is this?
Exercise 3 · Identify the sentence type
'Close the window.' — What type of sentence is this?
Exercise 4 · Identify the sentence type
'What an amazing view!' — What type of sentence is this?
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the sentence that ends with a period and simply states a fact.
Exercise 6 · Choose the imperative sentence
Choose the imperative sentence.
Exercise 7 · Choose the exclamatory sentence
Choose the exclamatory sentence.
Exercise 8 · Identify the sentence type
'I can't believe we won.' — What type of sentence is this?
Exercise 9 · Name the sentence type
Name the sentence type: 'Where did you put my keys?'
Exercise 10 · Name the sentence type
Name the sentence type: 'Please be quiet.'
Exercise 11 · Sort into groups
0 / 6 sorted
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
'The train leaves at noon.' — What type of sentence is this?
You learned
- Declarative: a statement, ending with a period — the most common type.
- Interrogative: a question, ending with a question mark.
- Imperative: a command or instruction, subject dropped.
- Exclamatory: strong feeling, ending with an exclamation mark.
Related grammar lessons
Phrases vs Clauses
Learn the basic difference between a phrase (no subject + verb) and a clause (has a subject + verb) — the building blocks of every sentence.
Exclamations
Learn the two exclamation patterns — 'What a/an + noun!' and 'How + adjective/adverb!' — for expressing strong feeling.
There Is & There Are
Learn 'there is/are' — the construction English uses to introduce that something exists, with 'there' as an empty placeholder subject.
Clauses
Learn independent vs. dependent clauses, and how combining them builds simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.