Sentence types: statements, questions, exclamations and commands
Sentences do four jobs: tell, ask, exclaim and instruct. The national curriculum asks children to notice how the pattern of a sentence shows its job.
Quick answer
- Four types
- statement, question, exclamation, command
- Key idea
- The grammar pattern shows the job, not just the punctuation mark.
- Years
- Introduced in Year 2 and revised every year.
The four types
| Type | Job | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement | Tells you something | Subject before the verb | The river is wide. |
| Question | Asks something | Verb before the subject, or a question word | Is the river wide? |
| Exclamation | Shows strong feeling | Starts with What or How and has a verb | What a wide river it is! |
| Command | Tells someone what to do | Usually starts with a verb | Cross the bridge. |
An exclamation mark does not make an exclamation
This is the point children (and adults) most often get wrong. That dog is huge! is a statement with an exclamation mark. Look at that dog! is a command with an exclamation mark. Only What a huge dog that is! is an exclamation, because it starts with What and contains a verb.
Turning one type into another
Changing the type is a good way to understand it. Start with a statement: The dog is in the garden. Swap the verb and the subject to make a question: Is the dog in the garden? Drop the subject and use the verb to make a command: Keep the dog in the garden.
End marks
- A statement ends with a full stop.
- A question ends with a question mark.
- An exclamation ends with an exclamation mark.
- A command ends with a full stop, or an exclamation mark for a shout.
Quick quiz
7 questions. Answer them all, then check your score.
Questions
What is the difference between a statement and an exclamation?
A statement just tells you something. An exclamation starts with What or How, has a verb, and shows strong feeling.
Related
Spelling lists and grammar terminology: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: English programmes of study, Appendices 1 and 2 (Crown copyright 2013), reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example sentences, tips, explanations and questions are by Litlings.