What sentence pattern is followed in exclamatory sentence

Question

1. How lovely these flowers are!
2. How lovely flowers these are!

I would like to know if the formation of above 2 sentences is correct. I personally feel the first sentence is correct as the word "THESE" modify the noun flower.

Answer 1

What's interesting about your sentence is this:

✔ How lovely these flowers are!
✘ How lovely flowers these are!

But:

✘ What lovely these flowers are!
✔ What lovely flowers these are!

The problem isn't just with the use of these nor is it just with the word order. It also relates to the specific word used at the start of the sentence. (Additionally, it doesn't have anything to do with the sentences being exclamatory. You could replace the exclamation marks with periods and the same analysis would occur.)

Answer 2

Yes, the first one, "How lovely these flowers are!" is correct, and the second is not.
Whether the sentence is exclamatory or not does not matter much here, it depends upon the order and usage of words.