Sentence Types and End Punctuation
Essential Question
How do we use punctuation to show how to read a sentence?
Grammar in the World
As you read the conversation below, think about why Chris' comments are kind of hard to understand.
If Chris had used end punctuation, it would have been easier to understand where one thought ended and the next thought began.
What Do I Know?
Use the interactive exercise below to see how much you already know about sentence types and end punctuation:
Building Blocks
Grammar is a complex system and structure of language. Mizzou Academy Grammar Lab spotlights one skill (or block) at a time, but it’s often helpful to see how a skill works together with other, related blocks to build the language structure as a whole. You may find the following resource topics helpful as context for this lesson:
- Capitalization
- Editing to Correct Fragments
- Editing to Correct Run-On Sentences
- Editing for Punctuation
Learn About Sentence Types and End Punctuation
image courtesy of Canva
When we speak, we cannot see capitalization or end punctuation; however, when we write, it is important to let the reader know where a sentence begins and ends. You already know that we always capitalize proper nouns and the pronoun “I” in sentences. We also must capitalize the first word of every sentence. This shows the reader where the thought begins.
At the end of each sentence, we need punctuation. This can be a period (.), a question mark (?), or an exclamation point (!). The type of sentence we write tells us what type of end punctuation we should use.
There are four types of sentences.
- Declarative - ends with a period (.)
- Interrogative - ends with a question mark (?)
- Imperative - ends with a period (.)
- Exclamatory - ends with an exclamation point (!)
Each type of sentence has a different purpose. The end punctuation can tell you the purpose of the sentence as well as how to read the sentence.
|
Sentence Type |
End Punctuation |
Purpose |
Example |
|
Declarative |
period (.) |
convey information, make a statement |
This is a cute and cuddly cat. He has a loud purr. I will buy some cat food on the way home today. |
|
Interrogative |
question mark (?) |
requests information |
How many pets do you have? What is your favorite type of cat? Could you buy some cat food on the way home today? |
|
Imperative |
period (.) or |
makes a request or command |
Feed the cat, please. Make sure you keep the front door shut. Buy some cat food on the way home today. |
|
Exclamatory |
exclamation point (!) |
conveys emotion or emphasis |
Wow! That is the cutest cat I’ve ever seen! I can’t wait to get a cat of my own! Thank you for buying the cat food! |
|
The type of end punctuation you use helps readers determine how to read a sentence. For instance, each of the following sentences says almost the same thing. Look at the end punctuation, and then read the sentence out loud. Then, click on each sentence for some tips on why we read the sentence this way. 1. My cat loves to climb trees. 2. Has the cat climbed a tree lately? 3. Don’t let the cat climb that tree. 4. Oh, no! The cat climbed way too high! |
|
Do I Get It?
What have you learned about using punctuation to influence the way a sentence is read? Use this interactive to find out.
Choose the correct sentence type for each of the following sentences. There will be two sentences of each type.
image source Links to an external site.
Read each sentence and choose the best end punctuation mark to express the sentence’s meaning.