On Exclamatives - Descriptive Grammar

[AureliaeLacrimae]

Exclamatives are sentences in which the speaker expresses emotion, usually shock or surprise. They also show how much a speaker is impressed with something.

Formation:

They’re usually introduced by what (predeterminer in a NP, example 1.) or how (intensifier of an adjective 2. or adverb 3. or a degree adverbial 4.).

With what, there is no S-O inversion:

1. What a time we’ve had today.

2. How delightful her manners are. 

3. How quickly you ate. 

4. How I used to hate geography.

[sidney]

Yes you are right, but I find it odd that you used a period instead of an exclamation point to end the sentence. Take a look at the examples from this website: http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/grammar/exclamative-sentence.asp

Notice all of the examples have exclamation points instead of a period.

[AureliaeLacrimae]

I am so sorry, I didn't even notice until you'd pointed it out. How clumsy. Of course you have to use exclamation point (they'e called "exclamative sentences" for a reason, after all), it's just that I'd been typing for so much that I simply didn't register that. Thank you for pointing it out.

So, yes, to clarify:

Exclamative sentences have an exclamation mark at the end:

1. What a time we’ve had today!

2. How delightful her manners are!

3. How quickly you ate!

4. How I used to hate geography!

[takibari]

Exclamatives are sentences in which the speaker expresses emotion, usually shock or surprise. They also show how much a speaker is impressed with something.

Formation:

They’re usually introduced by what (predeterminer in a NP, example 1.) or how (intensifier of an adjective 2. or adverb 3. or a degree adverbial 4.).

With what, there is no S-O inversion:

1. What a time we’ve had today.

2. How delightful her manners are. 

3. How quickly you ate. 

4. How I used to hate geography.

Hi! Sorry for this seemingly stupid question. But what do you mean by 'there is no S-O inversion?

Haha, I'm one of those who don't know  proper terminology when it comes to grammar. Is S-O (subject-object)? Anyway, is my understanding correct that these kind of sentences are generally those types of sentences that stick to a specific format. Thus, there is no way to phrase them differently?

[NATASHA]

Anything that you need to say should be said out loud so that you can understand what needs to have expression and what doesn't. When you use exclamatives it should be for accentuating a sentence or a word that is either said with passion,anger or awe.

[AureliaeLacrimae]

So sorry about that! No, S-O is subject-operator.

English is a type of language that is referred to as SVO [subject-Verb-Object, that word order] and according to this, you then see how various sentence types are formed. However, if you refer to only S-O, you generally refer to Subject-Operator. Operator is the first auxiliary verb in a complex verb phrase. For example:

He would have liked that.

would from would have liked that is the operator: it forms questions (Would he have liked that?), negation (He wouldn't have liked that), emphatic structures (He WOULD have liked that).

If there is no operator, you introduce "do". (Such as in present or past simple)

He likes it. Does he like it?

He liked it. Did he like it?

However, with exclamatives, there is no S-O inversion. The word order remains the same. Subject first ,then operator.

[takibari]

Wow! Thank you! I learned something new today. I may have forgotten my lessons back in the day. Haha, I actually failed my Communication I, class. (TMI).

Anyway, thanks for the kinds of threads you start. I always learn something new. Makes me long to go back to college, haha.

[Trellum]

Uhm, looking back at this I must admit I'm guilty of using exclamation signs a little too often, lol.  I need to stop doing that, I must really sounds like a really passionate gal, hehehe.  Oops, I was going to do it again  :shy:  But yes, exclamatives should have an exclamation sign in the end of the sentence, yes, even angry ones.  I heard the limit should be only 3 tho.