Exclamatory sentences express strong feeling or emphasis, such as surprise, excitement, anger, relief, or admiration. They often sound more emotional than statements and are typically marked with an exclamation point in writing. In English, an exclamation can be a full sentence or a short phrase, as long as it communicates heightened emotion.

English commonly forms exclamations in three ways: with special exclamatory structures like “What” and “How,” with an ordinary statement spoken with strong emotion, and with short exclamatory phrases. Choosing a pattern depends on what you want to highlight: a noun phrase, an adjective or adverb, or the whole situation.

Use “What” to emphasize a noun phrase, often describing a person, thing, or event. The basic shape is “What a or an + adjective + singular countable noun,” or “What + adjective + plural or uncountable noun.” This structure focuses attention on the noun itself and the speaker’s reaction to it.

Rule	Example
What a or an + adjective + singular countable noun!	What a brilliant idea!
What + adjective + plural noun!	What amazing results!
What + adjective + uncountable noun!	What terrible weather!
What + noun without adjective when context is strong	What a surprise!

Use “How” to emphasize an adjective, an adverb, or a whole clause expressing degree. This pattern highlights intensity, especially with feelings about how something is. It is especially common with adjectives describing a person or situation, and with adverbs describing an action.

Rule	Example
How + adjective!	How beautiful!
How + adjective + subject + verb!	How lucky you are!
How + adverb!	How quickly time passes!
How + clause to stress degree	How I miss you!

A regular declarative sentence can become exclamatory when it expresses strong emotion and is written with an exclamation point. The grammar stays the same as a statement, but the purpose changes from neutral information to emotional emphasis. This is common in conversation and informal writing.

Rule	Example
Statement + emotional emphasis + exclamation point	I can’t believe it!
Use strong focus on the situation, not a single word	This is the best day ever!
Can be short if meaning is clear	You did it!

Many exclamations begin with an interjection like “Wow,” “Oh,” “Oops,” or “Ugh” to show an immediate reaction. The interjection may stand alone or introduce a longer exclamatory sentence. Punctuation varies with strength: a comma for lighter emotion and an exclamation point for stronger emotion.

Rule	Example
Interjection alone as a complete exclamation	Wow!
Interjection + comma + sentence for a reaction	Oh, that’s wonderful!
Strong reaction often uses exclamation point	Ugh! That’s disgusting!

Exclamatory sentences often use fronting to place the emphasized part at the beginning, especially in “What” and “How” structures. Even when they look like questions at first glance, exclamations do not ask for information and do not require question word order. The goal is emphasis, not an answer.

Rule	Example
Exclamations with What and How keep statement order after the opener	How kind you are!
Do not invert auxiliary and subject like a question	What a mess this is!
Exclamation meaning is emotional, not informational	How you’ve grown!

In writing, exclamatory sentences usually end with an exclamation point to mark strong feeling. A period can be used when the sentence is exclamatory in meaning but the tone is controlled or formal. In some styles, repeated exclamation points suggest extreme emotion but can look informal or unprofessional.

Rule	Example
Use an exclamation point for strong emotion	That’s incredible!
Use a period for restrained emphasis, especially in formal tone	That is truly remarkable.
Avoid multiple exclamation points in formal writing	We won the contract!

Exclamatory sentences can sound friendly, dramatic, angry, or overly emotional depending on context. In professional or academic writing, exclamation points are less common, so exclamations may be softened with calmer wording or a period. In casual messages, exclamations are frequent and can signal enthusiasm or warmth.

Rule	Example
Casual writing uses exclamations for enthusiasm	Thanks for your help!
Formal writing usually limits exclamation points	We are pleased to announce the results.
Too many exclamations can feel insincere or intense	I appreciate your time!

Exclamatory sentences may begin with words that also introduce questions, such as “what” and “how,” but they are not meant to be answered. A key difference is intent: questions request information, while exclamations express reaction. In speech, exclamations typically have expressive intonation rather than the neutral questioning pattern.

Rule	Example
Exclamation expresses feeling, not a request	What a day!
Question asks for information and uses question mark	What day is it?
Exclamation can share words with questions but has different purpose	How smart you are!

Exclamatory sentences let you highlight emotion and intensity using “What” and “How” structures, exclamatory statements, and interjections. Use them to emphasize a noun phrase, a degree, or a whole situation, and choose punctuation that matches your tone. With careful use, exclamations add energy and clarity to your message.