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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
What a or an + adjective + singular countable noun!	🧩 What a or an + adjective + singular countable noun!	What a brilliant idea!	💬 真是一个绝妙的主意！
What + adjective + plural noun!	🧩 What + adjective + plural noun!	What amazing results!	💬 多么惊人的结果！
What + adjective + uncountable noun!	🧩 What + adjective + uncountable noun!	What terrible weather!	💬 天气真糟糕！
What + noun without adjective when context is strong	🧩 What + noun without adjective when context is strong	What a surprise!	💬 真是一个惊喜！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
How + adjective!	🧩 How + adjective!	How beautiful!	💬 How beautiful!
How + adjective + subject + verb!	🧩 How + adjective + subject + verb!	How lucky you are!	💬 How lucky you are!
How + adverb!	🧩 How + adverb!	How quickly time passes!	💬 How quickly time passes!
How + clause to stress degree	🧩 How + clause to stress degree	How I miss you!	💬 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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Statement + emotional emphasis + exclamation point	🧩 Statement + emotional emphasis + exclamation point	I can’t believe it!	💬 我简直不敢相信！
Use strong focus on the situation, not a single word	🧩 Use strong focus on the situation, not a single word	This is the best day ever!	💬 今天是有史以来最棒的一天！
Can be short if meaning is clear	🧩 Can be short if meaning is clear	You did it!	💬 你做到了！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Interjection alone as a complete exclamation	🧩 Interjection alone as a complete exclamation	Wow!	💬 哇！
Interjection + comma + sentence for a reaction	🧩 Interjection + comma + sentence for a reaction	Oh, that’s wonderful!	💬 哦，那真是太好了！
Strong reaction often uses exclamation point	🧩 Strong reaction often uses exclamation point	Ugh! That’s disgusting!	💬 呸！那太恶心了！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Exclamations with What and How keep statement order after the opener	🧩 Exclamations with What and How keep statement order after the opener	How kind you are!	💬 你多么善良啊！
Do not invert auxiliary and subject like a question	🧩 Do not invert auxiliary and subject like a question	What a mess this is!	💬 这是一团糟！
Exclamation meaning is emotional, not informational	🧩 Exclamation meaning is emotional, not informational	How you’ve grown!	💬 你已经长大了！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use an exclamation point for strong emotion	🧩 Use an exclamation point for strong emotion	That’s incredible!	💬 那太不可思议了！
Use a period for restrained emphasis, especially in formal tone	🧩 Use a period for restrained emphasis, especially in formal tone	That is truly remarkable.	💬 那确实非凡。
Avoid multiple exclamation points in formal writing	🧩 Avoid multiple exclamation points in formal writing	We won the contract!	💬 我们赢得了合同！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Casual writing uses exclamations for enthusiasm	🧩 Casual writing uses exclamations for enthusiasm	Thanks for your help!	💬 谢谢你的帮助！
Formal writing usually limits exclamation points	🧩 Formal writing usually limits exclamation points	We are pleased to announce the results.	💬 我们很高兴宣布结果。
Too many exclamations can feel insincere or intense	🧩 Too many exclamations can feel insincere or intense	I appreciate your time!	💬 感谢您的时间！

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Exclamation expresses feeling, not a request	🧩 Exclamation expresses feeling, not a request	What a day!	💬 今天真是一天啊！
Question asks for information and uses question mark	🧩 Question asks for information and uses question mark	What day is it?	💬 今天是星期几？
Exclamation can share words with questions but has different purpose	🧩 Exclamation can share words with questions but has different purpose	How smart you are!	💬 你有多聪明啊！

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.