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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Imperative and Exclamatory Sentence?

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The main difference between imperative and exclamatory sentences lies in their function and punctuation:

Imperative Sentences:

  • Give a command or make a request.
  • Usually begin with a verb and end with a period.
  • The subject is often omitted, and it is commonly referred to as "you" (second person pronoun).

Exclamatory Sentences:

  • Show strong feelings or emotions.
  • Always end with an exclamation point.
  • Can have various subjects.

Here are examples of each type of sentence:

Imperative Sentences:

  1. Look at the stars.
  2. Make a wish on that star.

Exclamatory Sentences:

  1. What a beautiful night!
  2. I can't believe how many stars there are!

In summary, imperative sentences give commands or requests and end with a period, while exclamatory sentences convey emotions and always end with an exclamation point.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Imperative and Exclamatory Sentence?
  • Comparative Table: Imperative vs Exclamatory Sentence

    • Comparative Table: Imperative vs Exclamatory Sentence

    Here is a table comparing the differences between imperative and exclamatory sentences:

    Feature Imperative Sentence Exclamatory Sentence
    Purpose Gives a direct command or makes a request Conveys strong emotion or exclamation
    Structure Usually starts with a verb in the base form and does not have a subject Often consists of a base verb + additional details
    Ending Can end with an exclamation mark or a full stop, depending on the forcefulness of the command Always ends with an exclamation mark
    Subject Understood, as the subject is usually "you" Present, but may vary depending on the sentence
    Usage Commonly used in oral speech, dialogues between characters, or as a "call to action" Inappropriate in academic papers, but suitable for descriptive or narrative essays

    Imperative sentences are used to give commands or make requests, while exclamatory sentences convey strong emotions or reactions. Imperative sentences can end with either a full stop or an exclamation mark, depending on the context, whereas exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation mark.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.