I learnt about the 4 types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative. I remember that declarative, interrogative and exclamatory can be either positive or negative. But I don't have an idea about exclamatory sentences if they can be also negative or not. Can exclamatory sentences be also negative?
asked Mar 7, 2018 at 17:40
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Can you give us an idea of what you mean by a negative exclamatory sentence?– stangdonCommented Mar 7, 2018 at 17:53
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For example: if I say "You are right." it's considered a positive declarative sentence. But if I'd say "You are not right." then it's a negative declarative sentence". Now all the examples that I saw for exclamatory sentences are positive. I didn't see negative exclamatory sentences (=using the word "not" in this sentences). See here: grammar-monster.com/glossary/exclamatory_sentence.htm– Virtuous LegendCommented Mar 7, 2018 at 17:57
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Sure. For example, at english-grammar-revolution.com/sentence-types.html they give the example I can't find the butter!– stangdonCommented Mar 7, 2018 at 18:14
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1How about Not again!– TimRCommented Mar 7, 2018 at 20:03
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Is it not supposed to be a rhetorical question like "How about not again?!" dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/rhetorical-question– Virtuous LegendCommented Mar 7, 2018 at 20:45
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2 Answers
Sometimes exclamations can be made by using interrogative word order and there are two forms of these--positive question or negative question exclamations--both indicating a positive assertion.
Examples of using the positive question form of exclamations:
Have I got news for you!
Was the dessert delicious!
Examples of using the negative question form of exclamations:
Isn’t it a warm day!
Wouldn't it be lovely!
Aren’t they kind!
Hasn’t she grown!
A sidenote:
Accoring to this site, British speakers often use negative question forms in exclamations whereas Americans often use non-negative question forms in exclamations:
Boy, did I make a mistake! (US)
Boy, didn’t I make a mistake! (GB)
answered Apr 27, 2018 at 10:35
All of these 4 types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative) can be either positive or negative.
Examples for negative exclamatory sentences are as the follow:
- "I can't find the butter!" (credit: @stangdon and this site)
- "I do not go there!"
answered Mar 7, 2018 at 20:52