This lesson helps you understand what a declarative sentence in English is and when to use it.
What are declarative sentence in English?
Declarative sentences, also known as assertive sentences, are statement that expresses an opinion, fact, or confession about someone or something. It can be both positive or negative. It is one of the 4 types of sentences we have in English—declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory— and is used the most amongst these.
Examples:
- I love teaching English.
- Riya is my girlfriend.
- The company needs more coders.
- I have something to say to you.
- I want to tell you something.
- We are crazy about cricket.
- We would like to know how you want this to work.
- She is getting married next month.
- You are amazing.
- I am on my way to office.
- What she told me at office was probably the worst thing I have heard about you.
- Ashish does not have your number.
- I didn’t call you last night.
- We aren’t mad at you.
- You haven’t returned my money.
- I don’t owe you anything.
- I don’t want to talk about what happened at the party.
- We are very sorry about how they treated you in our absence.
Declarative sentences are not used to ask questions, or show strong emotions, or give commands, orders, or make requests.
- Do you study here?
- When is she coming back?
These are not declarative sentences; these are interrogative sentences. They seek information from the person asked.
- Come here. (order)
- Bring me a cup of hot water. (command)
- Please let me stay here tonight. (request)
These sentences aren’t declarative either. Sentences that show order, command, or request are called imperative sentences.
- What a fight it is!
- I love you so much!
These are upgraded version of declarative sentences. Sentences that express facts, feelings, or show opinion but with a strong emotion are called exclamatory sentences. The exclamation mark at the end makes the difference. It is a sign that the speaker is exuding a strong emotion here.
Declarative sentences can be simple, compound, or complex, or compound-complex.
These sentences (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) are different on the basis on their structures (mixture of clauses), not the meaning they render like the 4 types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory) we earlier talked about.
Simple sentence
A simple sentence has one subject and one predicate.
- I know you.
- You never listen to me.
Compound sentence
A compound sentence is a combination of two or more independent clauses. These clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction.
- I appreciate your offer, but I would have to say no.
- We love you, and we will do anything for you.
Complex sentence
A complex sentence is a combination of one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
- She won’t eat chocolates if even you pay her a million bucks.
- I watch Netflix when I am free.
Compound-complex sentence
It is a combination of one or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
- If you talk to him politely, he will do anything for you even if it’s wrong.
- Though I had told her not to call me, she still called me when I got home.
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