exclamatory

Exclamatory is a grammatical term used to describe expressions that convey strong emotion or emphasis. An exclamatory sentence or clause communicates feelings such as surprise, joy, anger, or emphasis, and is typically marked by an exclamation point in writing. In spoken language, such force is conveyed through intonation, volume, and rhythm rather than punctuation alone. Exclamatory forms can be interjections, standalone exclamations, or declarative sentences used with strong emotion.

Common forms include short interjections like Wow or Ouch, which express immediate reaction. Exclamatory constructions also occur with what or how: What a beautiful day! How quickly time flies! In addition, ordinary declarative sentences can take on exclamatory force: It was an amazing performance! I can’t believe it!

Punctuation and usage: Exclamation marks are the primary mark for exclamatory sentences in English; multiple marks are often discouraged in formal writing. In other languages, exclamatory punctuation differs—for example, Spanish uses inverted exclamation marks at the beginning of the sentence, while some languages rely on intonation rather than punctuation alone. The term exclamatory is also used in linguistic descriptions to distinguish mood or tone, not as a separate grammatical category beyond the sentence type.