Sentence Types & Transformation — Patwari English Notes
An English sentence is classified on both its structure and its function. This page explains every sentence type and the rules for transforming them into one another, with examples.
- Class 6-8 level
- 10 min read
Sentence Types by Function
| Type | Identification | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Assertive (Declarative) | States a fact or an opinion; ends with a full stop (.) | Rajasthan is a beautiful state. |
| Interrogative | Asks a question; ends with a question mark (?) | Is Rajasthan a beautiful state? |
| Imperative | Gives an order, request or advice; the subject 'you' is usually hidden | Please close the door. |
| Exclamatory | Expresses a sudden feeling (surprise, joy); ends with an exclamation mark (!) | What a beautiful state Rajasthan is! |
| Optative | Expresses a wish, blessing or prayer | May you live long! |
The Assertive sentence has two sub-types — Affirmative (a positive statement) and Negative (a negative statement, which adds 'not/no/never').
Sentence Types by Structure
| Type | Identification | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Sentence | A single independent clause, with one definite subject and predicate | She teaches English. |
| Compound Sentence | Two or more independent clauses joined by conjunctions (and, but, or) | She teaches English, and he teaches Maths. |
| Complex Sentence | One independent clause joined with one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses | She teaches English because she loves the language. |
| Compound-Complex | Two or more independent clauses joined with at least one dependent clause as well | She teaches English, and he teaches Maths, although both are tired. |
Rules for Sentence Transformation
To change Assertive into Interrogative, swap the positions of the subject and the auxiliary verb and add a question mark at the end — 'They can solve this.' becomes 'Can they solve this?'. To change Affirmative into Negative, add 'not' with the main verb. To change Exclamatory into Assertive, remove the exclamatory word (What/How) and give it the form of an ordinary statement — 'What a beautiful state Rajasthan is!' becomes 'Rajasthan is a very beautiful state.'
To change Imperative into Assertive, 'You should/must' is added to the sentence, which makes the hidden subject 'you' explicit — 'Shut the door.' becomes 'You should shut the door.' To change Interrogative into Assertive, the question's direct answer is written as a statement — 'Is he not honest?' becomes 'He is honest.' The exam can also ask these rules in reverse, so it's necessary to practise both directions (one type to another, and back again).
To change an Optative sentence into Assertive, the wish-indicating word (May, Wish) is removed and it's written as a direct wish — 'May you succeed!' becomes 'I wish you success.' This topic can also be asked together with Tenses and Parts of Speech, so recognising auxiliary verbs (is, are, can, will, etc.) should be strengthened alongside it.
A Few Transformation Examples
| Original sentence (type) | Transformed sentence (type) |
|---|---|
| He is very honest. (Assertive) | Is he very honest? (Interrogative) |
| Shut the door. (Imperative) | You should shut the door. (Assertive) |
| What a great teacher she is! (Exclamatory) | She is a very great teacher. (Assertive) |
The Final Punctuation Mark of Each Type
- Assertive and Imperative
- end with a full stop (.), whether a statement or a command
- Interrogative
- ends with a question mark (?)
- Exclamatory
- ends with an exclamation mark (!), and usually begins with What/How
- Optative
- can end with either a full stop (.) or an exclamation mark (!), depending on context
Memory Trick
To change Assertive into Interrogative, just swap the subject and the auxiliary verb and add '?' at the end — this is the most frequently asked Transformation rule. To identify Exclamatory, look for both the word 'What/How' and the exclamation mark (!) together — don't rely on the mark alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Sentence Types asked about in the exam?+
They are usually asked either as identifying a sentence's type (Assertive/Interrogative/Imperative/Exclamatory) or as choosing the sentence correctly transformed from one type into another.
What is the difference between Simple, Compound and Complex sentences?+
A Simple sentence has one independent clause, a Compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by conjunctions, and a Complex sentence has one independent clause plus one or more dependent clauses.
What is an Optative sentence?+
An Optative sentence expresses a wish, blessing or prayer, as in 'May you live long!' or 'God bless you!'
What is the rule for changing Assertive into Interrogative?+
Swap the positions of the subject and the auxiliary verb, and add a question mark (?) at the end of the sentence.
How do you identify an Imperative sentence?+
An Imperative sentence expresses an order, request or advice; the subject 'you' is usually hidden in the sentence, and the sentence usually begins with the base form of the verb — as in 'Close the door.' or 'Please help me.'