4 Types of Sentences

There are four types of sentences

1. Declarative/Assertive Sentences
2. Interrogative Sentences
3. Imperative Sentences
4. Exclamatory Sentences

Before, diving into the types of sentences, we must know "What is a sentence?"

The Sentence: "What is a sentence?"

"Language" is mainly used to speak and write. In other words to communicate or to express. While speaking language we use many words and structures. Words are the building blocks of the Sentence.

We express our thoughts or feelings with the help of different arrangement of words in different structures (syntax). 

These arrangements of words help to understand the thoughts to whom we are talking to. This meaningful systematic arrangement of words is called as “Sentence”. 

In other words “Sentence is a set of words that makes complete sense.” We can easily make these arrangements of words in our mother tongue. 

In the same way we can do it in English too with practice. For that we need grammar. First start with “Types of sentences”.

Types of Sentences

1. Declarative/Assertive Sentences:

• Used to express, to give an opinion or to make Statements. Ends with period (.).

For example :

1. I love to play football.
2. Birds fly in the sky.
3. Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Sub-types of Declarative/Assertive sentences:

• Declarative sentences have two sub types.

Affirmative sentences : Positive 

For example :

1. I have a pencil.
2. She is dancing.

Negative sentences: No, Not

For example :

1. I have no pencil.
2. She is not singing.

2. Interrogative Sentences:

• Used to ask questions. Ends with question mark (?). 
• Usually begins with what, when, where, why, who, how, or Auxiliary/helping verb.

For example :

1. What is your name?
2. Where are you going?
3. How are you?
4. Do you like to play football?
5. Are you coming to watch movie?

3. Imperative Sentences:

• Used to give command, Instruction, make request, advice, etc. Ends with period(.) or exclamation mark (!)

For example :

1. Drive slowly. (Instruction)
2. Stop! (Command)
3. Please, help me. (Request)
4. Shut the door. (Instruction)
5. Pass me the salt. (Request)
6. Do not dive fast. (Advice)

Note that subject is understood, it is YOU.

Imperative sentences can be positive or negative.

For example :

1. Stop! (Positive)
2. Do not stop! (Negative)

4. Exclamatory Sentences:

• Used to express strong emotion/surprise (sudden expressions) or to wish. Ends with an exclamation mark (!).

For example :

1. What a beautiful flower it is!
2. Happy New Year!
3. How awesome it is!

See also : Parts of Speech

References

1. Azar, B. S., & Hagen, S. A. (2017). Understanding and using English grammar (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
2. Swan, M. (2016). Practical English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
3. Eastwood, J. (2016). Oxford guide to English grammar. Oxford University Press.
4. Murphy, R. (2019). English grammar in use: A self-study reference and practice book for intermediate learners of English (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
5. Cowan, R. (2008). The teacher's grammar of English. Cambridge University Press.
6. Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (2003). A communicative grammar of English (3rd ed.). Routledge.
7. Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. Longman.
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10. Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Leech, G. (2021). Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. Pearson Education.