Alternative questions indicate choice and are pronounced with a
rising intonation in the first part and a falling intonation in the second
part: Do you live in the town or in the country?
Disjunctive questions require the answer yes or no and consist of
an affirmative statement followed by a negative question , or a negative
statement followed by an affirmative question. The first part is
pronounced with a falling intonation and the second part with a rising
intonation: You speak English, don’t you? You are not tired, are you?
3.
The imperative sentence serves to induce a person to do
something expressing a command, a request, an invitation ,wish or
desire. Imperative sentences are formed both synthetically and
analytically. Commands are pronounced with a falling intonation: Go
to the blackboard. Stop talking - command (synthetically) ; Let’s visit
our friend. - request(analytically) ; May there always be sunshine, may
there always be blue sky… - wish/desire (analytically).
4.
The exclamatory sentence expresses some emotion or feeling.
It often begins with words
what and
how . It is always in the declarative
form, that is no inversion takes place. It is generally pronounced with a
falling intonation: What a lovely day it is! How wonderful!
As we have seen , we use the declarative form to make a statement,
the interrogative form - to ask a question, the imperative - to issue a
command, exclamatory form - to make an exclamation. But it is
desirable to comment that function and form do not always coincide,
especially with a change in intonation: we can use the declarative form
to give a command –You will now start the exam. Or we can use the
interrogative form to make an exclamation - Wow, can you play the
piano! We can ask even a question with the declarative form - Bangkok
is in Thailand ? So it is important to recognize this and not be confused
when the function does not always match the form.
