Recognise Different Sentence Types

There are four main types of sentences.

 

Once you know how they work and what they look like, you’ll be using them in your own writing in no time!

Questions

These are used to find out more information and they are also a great way to make the reader think more about something like this:

What is the best way to make pancakes?

 

 

Exclamations

These often start with the word ‘what’ or ‘how’ (not to be confused with questions) and show surprise or excitement, like this:

How fascinating! or What a wonderful day!

Exclamations can also be used to show emphasis, strength, or shouting.

 

 

But be careful, an exclamation that is telling you to do something, is a command, like this: Eat your dinner! or Brush your teeth! 

Read below to find out about commands.

 

Commands

These are used to give instructions. Commands have verbs - action words - that tell you to do something, like Stop! or Pick that up! 

Sometimes they have an exclamation like this: Go to bed now! 

And sometimes they are simple instructions, like in a recipe: Next, mix the butter and sugar together.

 

 

Statements

These are facts or opinions, or just information about something, like this:

The tree is blowing in the wind. or, I can see a house over there.

 

 

In this activity, we will practise recognising different sentence forms and start to spot the clues that tell us what type of sentence it is.