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Sentence Functions

English Language: KS3, topic 3.8.10

The Function of Sentences

The way a sentence is shaped tells you the function of the sentence. There are 4 main types or purposes of sentences:

Questions

Questions

  • Questions include asking about something or someone.
  • Questions are really easy to spot because they end with a ‘?’.
  • Questions must begin with a certain word, such as what, who, which, why, when, or where.
Exclamations 1

Exclamations 1

  • There are 2 types of exclamatory sentences.
  • One type of exclamatory sentence shows a sense of urgency, passion or anger in the voice.
  • Sentences to show a sense of urgency, passion or anger in the voice end in a '!'.
  • E.g. ‘I love this game!’, ‘Never eat cheese at night!’ and ‘I hate you!’
Exclamations 2

Exclamations 2

  • The other type of exclamation is when you begin with a question word (e.g. what, how, etc.), but you don’t ask a question.
  • E.g. ‘What big ears you have!’ and ‘How lovely you look today!’
  • When you end a sentence with an exclamation mark, you don’t need another piece of punctuation.
Statements

Statements

  • Statements make up the bulk of our language. We use statements all the time.
  • A statement is any sentence that is providing a fact, an opinion or a new piece of information.
  • E.g. ‘John likes jelly’ is a statement providing us with new information about John.
  • E.g. ‘Mary went to the shop’ also tells us something new about Mary.
Commands

Commands

  • Command sentences are called imperatives.
  • Command sentences are used when you are insisting on someone doing something, or giving them an order.
Commands examples

Commands examples

  • The subject of the command sentence is always omitted, but it is implied that it is the second person ‘you’.
  • ‘Get in the car’ is implying that 'you' should get in the car.
  • ‘Stop that’ is implying that 'you' should stop that.
  • If you wanted to add intensity to the expression, you would add the exclamation mark at the end of the command.

Test yourself on Sentence Functions

  • What are the four main purposes or functions of sentences?

  • What type of sentence is, 'We will win!'?

  • What type of sentence is, 'Get in the car!'?

Practise this topic for free