Every sentence has a purpose.
A sentence can state something, ask something, command something, or exclaim something — and its ending mark gives the first clue. Meet the four sentence types, then learn to tell them apart at a glance.
The mark is a clue — not the whole story
A sentence can state something, ask something, command something, or exclaim something. The ending mark is your first signal, but an imperative sentence can borrow either a period or an exclamation point — so the sentence’s job is what really tells the story.
It gives information or states a fact — and always ends with a period.
It is the most common sentence type in everyday writing.
The sun rises in the east.
She loves to read books.
We will meet at the park.
It requests information, and always ends with a question mark.
It often starts with a question word (what, where, who) or an auxiliary/modal verb.
What time is it?
Where do you live?
Have you finished your homework?
The subject "you" is implied, even though it is rarely stated.
It can end with a period or an exclamation point, depending on urgency.
Close the door.
Please pass the salt.
Don’t touch that! (urgent, so it borrows the exclamation point)
It conveys excitement, surprise, anger, or joy, and always ends with an exclamation point.
It often starts with "What" or "How."
What a beautiful day!
I can’t believe we won!
Watch out!
| Type | Its job | Ending mark |
|---|---|---|
| Declarative | States a fact or opinion | Period |
| Interrogative | Asks a question | Question mark |
| Imperative | Gives a command or request | Period or exclamation point |
| Exclamatory | Shows strong emotion | Exclamation point |
Name the sentence type
Ten quick questions — decide whether each sentence is declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory. You get instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer.
The mark is a clue, not the whole story
A period, question mark, or exclamation point is your first signal, but a sentence’s real type comes from its job — stating, asking, commanding, or exclaiming. Learn the four types, and don’t let a borrowed punctuation mark fool you.