MPU 3013

Tutorial Week 5: Mood

Prepare by: Yong Shin Ee

• Sentences may be classified according to their use in discourse. We recognise four main sentence types:

I. declarative

II. interrogative

III. imperative

IV. exclamative

What Is a Declarative Sentence?

• A declarative sentence states a fact or an argument and ends with a full stop.

• Declarative sentences are by far the most common type of sentence.

Examples of Declarative Sentences

1. There are five million people at risk.

2. London is the capital of England.

3. The teacher explained the concepts clearly to the people.

4. David plays the piano

5. I hope you can come tomorrow

6. We've forgotten the milk

Imperative Sentence

• An imperative sentence is a command or a polite request. • It ends with an exclamation mark (!) or a full stop / period.

Example:

• Fetch my umbrella!• Please bring my umbrella.• Leave your coat in the hall• Give me your phone number• Don't shut the door• Stop!• Leave your coat in the hall, will you?• Write soon, won't you?

Interrogative Sentence

• An interrogative sentence asks a question. • It ends with a question mark (?)

Example:

• Can you find my umbrella?• Is this your book?• Did you receive my message?• Have you found a new job yet?

The examples above are specifically YES/NO INTERROGATIVES, because they bring out a response which is either yes or no.

• Should I telephone you or send an email?• Do you want tea, coffee, or espresso?

*Yes/no interrogatives and alternative interrogatives are introduced by an auxiliary verb.

*Auxiliary Verbs are the verbs be, do, have, will when they are followed by another verb (the full verb) in order to form a question,

• What happened?• Where do you work?• Who won the Cup Final in 1997?

WH- INTERROGATIVES, on the other hand, are introduced by a wh- word, and they bring out an open-ended response:

• David plays the piano, doesn't he?• We've forgotten the milk, haven't we?• There's a big match tonight, isn't there?

These are known as TAG QUESTIONS. They consist of a main or auxiliary verb followed by a pronoun or existential there

*We use tag questions to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Is that right?" or "Do you agree?"

Exclamatory Sentence

• An exclamatory sentence expresses excitement or emotion.

• It ends with an exclamation mark (!)

Example:

• You've broken my umbrella!• What a stupid man he is!• How wonderful you look!

THANK YOU