Exclamative sentences express strong emotions — surprise, admiration, delight or disgust. In English, the two main exclamative structures are introduced by What (followed by a noun phrase) and How (followed by an adjective or adverb). Getting the word order and article use right is the key challenge for ESL learners at B1–B2 level on the CEFR scale.
What Are Exclamatives?
An exclamative sentence expresses a strong feeling or reaction. Unlike questions or statements, exclamatives are introduced by What or How and use normal subject-verb order (not question inversion). They are common in spoken English and informal writing.
What + Noun Phrase Exclamatives
The structure with What is followed by a noun phrase, which may include an adjective:
- What + a/an + adjective + singular countable noun: What a beautiful day! What an amazing idea!
- What + adjective + plural noun: What wonderful children! What terrible excuses!
- What + adjective + uncountable noun: What terrible weather! What fantastic news!
A subject and verb can be added at the end: What a beautiful day it is! What an idea she had!
How + Adjective/Adverb Exclamatives
The structure with How is followed by an adjective or adverb:
- How + adjective alone: How wonderful! How kind of you!
- How + adjective + subject + verb: How beautiful she looks! How strange that seems!
- How + adverb: How quickly he ran! How carefully she works!
Word Order in Exclamatives
The key rule is that What or How comes first, then the noun/adjective phrase, then the subject and verb in normal order (not inverted). This distinguishes exclamatives from questions: What a day! (exclamative) vs What day is it? (question — inverted word order).
Register
Exclamatives are primarily a feature of spoken English and informal writing such as emails, social media and personal letters. In formal academic writing, they are generally avoided because they appear too emotional or subjective. Use them freely in creative writing and persuasive essays.
Common Mistakes
- Wrong: What beautiful a day! Correct: What a beautiful day! (article comes before the adjective)
- Wrong: How she is beautiful! Correct: How beautiful she is! (adjective comes immediately after How)
- Wrong: What a wonderful weathers! Correct: What wonderful weather! (weather is uncountable — no article, no plural)
Practice Exercises
Grammar Quiz
Choose the correct exclamative structure in context.
Complete the Sentence
Add the correct article or word order to exclamative sentences.
Unjumble
Reorder words to form correct What and How exclamatives.
Flash Cards
Practise common exclamative expressions as vocabulary chunks.
Practice What You've Learned
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exclamative sentence?
An exclamative sentence expresses a strong feeling or reaction — surprise, admiration, anger or delight. In English, exclamatives are introduced by 'What' (followed by a noun phrase) or 'How' (followed by an adjective or adverb). Example: What a brilliant performance! How incredibly talented she is!
When do I use 'a' or 'an' in 'What' exclamatives?
Use 'What a' before singular countable nouns starting with a consonant sound: What a great idea! Use 'What an' before singular countable nouns starting with a vowel sound: What an awful mistake! Use 'What' alone (no article) before plural nouns and uncountable nouns: What beautiful gardens! What terrible news!
How is 'How' used in exclamatives?
'How' introduces exclamatives with an adjective or adverb. With an adjective alone: How lovely! How strange! With subject + verb added: How lovely it is! How quickly he speaks! The adjective or adverb comes immediately after 'How', not the subject. Do not say 'How it is lovely!' — that is a question structure, not an exclamative.
What is the difference between an exclamative and a question with 'What'/'How'?
Word order is the key. In questions, subject-verb inversion follows What/How: How old is she? What does she want? In exclamatives, the normal subject-verb order comes after the noun/adjective phrase: How old she looks! What a beautiful voice she has! Exclamatives are statements of feeling, not requests for information.
Can exclamatives be used in formal or academic writing?
Exclamatives are primarily a feature of spoken English and informal writing. In formal academic writing, they are generally avoided because they appear emotional or subjective. Instead, use intensifiers or evaluative language: The results were remarkably significant. However, they are appropriate in creative writing and persuasive essays to create impact.
Can I use exclamatives in reported speech?
Yes, but the exclamative structure changes. Direct: What a great idea! In reported speech: She said (that) it was a great idea / She exclaimed that it was a wonderful idea. Exclamative structures are not preserved in indirect speech — they are converted to declarative statements. The verb 'exclaim' or 'cry out' is often used as a reporting verb.
Are there exclamatives without 'What' or 'How'?
Yes. Interjections (Oh! Wow! Amazing!) and exclamatory clauses with 'that' can also express strong emotion: To think that she managed it alone! These structures are more common in literary and formal writing. In everyday speech, 'What' and 'How' exclamatives are the most frequent patterns.
What are some common exclamatives in everyday British English?
What a shame! (disappointment) What a relief! (release from worry) How extraordinary! (surprise) What nonsense! (disbelief) How dare you! (anger) What a pity! (sympathy/regret). These fixed expressions are highly frequent in conversation and are worth learning as chunks rather than constructing from scratch each time.
How do exclamatives relate to CEFR levels?
Recognising and producing basic exclamatives (What a...! How...!) is expected at B1. Using them naturally with correct word order, article choice, and appropriate register is a B2 feature. C1+ learners can use more complex exclamative structures and distinguish between formal and informal contexts of use.
Do other languages have similar exclamative structures?
Many European languages have equivalent structures, but the details differ. Spanish uses inverted punctuation (Que dia tan bonito!). French uses Quel/Quelle: Quelle belle journee! German uses Was fur: Was fur ein schoner Tag! However, the article placement, word order, and the distinction between countable/uncountable nouns are specifically English features that learners must practise.