Assertive to Exclamatory Sentence

Transformation: Assertive to Exclamatory Sentence

Arup Roy, Lecturer in English Language and Literature, Kanchkura University College

🔗 Find the Exercise Here

Rule Number One: With an Article (a/an)

If an adjective or adverb is preceded by "a/an" in the assertive sentence, start the exclamatory sentence with "What a/an" followed by the adjective, the subject, and then the verb. The adverb is typically ignored.

Assertive: He is a great person.

Exclamatory: What a great person he is!

Assertive: It is a very beautiful place.

Exclamatory: What a beautiful place it is! (The adverb "very" has been ignored)

Rule Number Two: Without an Article

If there is no article before the adjective or adverb, start the exclamatory sentence with "How" followed by the adjective (not the adverb), the subject, and then the verb.

Assertive: He is very intelligent.

Exclamatory: How intelligent he is!

Assertive: The scenery is very beautiful.

Exclamatory: How beautiful the scenery is!

Rule Number Three: Expressing Sorrow

Replace expressions like “It is a matter of regret/sorrow that...” or “We mourn that...” with the interjection “Alas!” followed by the rest of the assertive sentence.

Assertive: It is a matter of sorrow that his friend died.

Exclamatory: Alas! His friend died!

Assertive: It is a matter of regret that he has lost his wallet.

Exclamatory: Alas! He has lost his wallet!

Rule Number Four: Expressing Joy

Replace the phrase “It is a matter of joy that...” with the interjection “Hurrah!” followed by the rest of the assertive sentence.

Assertive: It is a matter of joy that we have won the match.

Exclamatory: Hurrah! We have won the match!

Assertive: It is a matter of joy that he has got a chance on the national cricket team.

Exclamatory: Hurrah! He has got a chance on the national cricket team.

Rule Number Five: Expressing Shame/Contempt

Replace the phrase “It is a matter of shame/contempt that...” with the interjection “Fie!” followed by the rest of the assertive sentence.

Assertive: It is a matter of shame/contempt that he has dishonored our freedom fighters.

Exclamatory: Fie! He has dishonored our freedom fighters!

Assertive: It is a matter of shame/contempt that she quarrels with his parents.

Exclamatory: Fie! She quarrels with his parents!

Rule Number Six: Expressing Praise

Replace the phrase “It is a matter of praise that...” with the interjection “Bravo!” followed by the rest of the assertive sentence.

Assertive: It is a matter of praise that he has got GPA 5.

Exclamatory: Bravo! He has got GPA 5.

Rule Number Seven & Eight: Wish/Hope with "If"

When you see the expression “I wish I were/had...” (unreal condition) or “I hope...” (real condition), you can transform the sentence into an exclamatory sentence by starting with “If”.

Assertive: I wish I were a bird.

Exclamatory: If I were a bird!

Assertive: I hope you take exercise regularly.

Exclamatory: If you take exercise regularly!

Rule Number Nine: Wish with "Would that / O that"

The expression “I wish” in an assertive sentence can be replaced by “Would that” or “O that” in the exclamatory sentence.

Assertive: I wish I were a poet.

Exclamatory: Would that I were a poet!

Assertive: I wish I could fly in the sky.

Exclamatory: O that I could fly in the sky!

Related Grammar Topics

Affirmative to Negative Imperative to Assertive Sentence Degree of Comparison Transformation of Structural Sentence: Part One

Go Home