Say It Right: The Four Types of Sentences

Read these two sentences carefully: 'The dog sat on the mat.' 'Sit down right now!' They both have words, but they do very different jobs. One tells you a fact. The other gives an order. Did you notice the difference? Sentences are not all the same — they each have a job to do. In this lesson, you will discover the four jobs sentences can have.

Every sentence has a job. There are four types, and each one works differently. **1. Statement** A statement gives information or tells you a fact. It ends with a full stop. Example: 'The sun rises in the east.' **2. Question** A question asks for information. It ends with a question mark (?). Example: 'Where do penguins live?' **3. Command** A command tells someone to do something. It often starts with a verb (an action word) and ends with a full stop or exclamation mark. Example: 'Open the window.' or 'Stop running!' **4. Exclamation** An exclamation shows strong feeling — like surprise, excitement, or shock. It ends with an exclamation mark (!). A true exclamation sentence starts with 'What' or 'How'. Example: 'What a brilliant idea!' or 'How fast she runs!' **Punctuation is your clue.** The mark at the end of a sentence — full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark — helps you spot its type straight away.