Interjections

An interjection is a word added to a sentence to express emotion. It is not grammatically related to any other part of the sentence.

You usually follow an interjection with an exclamation mark. Interjections are uncommon in formal academic prose, except in direct quotations.

The highlighted words in the following examples are interjections:

Ouch, that hurt!

Oh no, I forgot that Kim's birthday was today.

Hey! Let me go!

My goodness, that is a very skimpy dress!

Try It Out!

Test your understanding by trying the exercises below:

1. __________, why didn't you hold the door for me?
2. __________, I'm so happy that you decided to visit this Summer.
3. __________, it's not everyday that you see a dog surfing on a surfboard!
4. __________! How can you possibly say that?
5. I can't believe that I finally got an A on a project, __________!
6. __________, her cat passed away.
7. __________! That hurts!
8. __________ Mary, how are you today?
9. __________, what did he say?
10. __________, that is a very large dog at the end of the leash!

Answers: 1. Hey  2. Yahoo  3. Well  4. Hey  5. hurray  6. Alas  7. Ouch  8. Hello  9. Um  10. Wow

Fun Time!

WHAM!

Materials:
2 cylinder cans (potato chips or snack cans) with lids, 2 colored paper sheets, 2-3 sheets of white paper, tape, markers

Instructions:

1. Fit one of the cans with a sheet of colored paper, tape to secure and write the word "WHAM!" on it. On the other colored sheet, write as many interjections as you can think of. Then cut the words into strips. Place the strips in the "WHAM!" can.
2. Wrap the other can in white paper and title it "Sentence Types". On another sheet of white paper, write a mix of declarative, imperative and interrogative sentences. You will need about 15 sentences. Cut them into strips and place in the "Sentence Type" can.
3. Divide the class into two groups, Group A and Group B. Have them stand on opposite sides of the classroom. The first member of each team comes to the front of the room.
4. One student from Group A draws a paper strip from the "Sentence Type" can, reads the sentence aloud, and identifies it as either an imperative, declarative or interrogative sentence. If the answer is incorrect, he or she must sit down and the next student from Group A draws a new sentence to identify.
5. Another student from Group B draws an interjection from the "WHAM!" can. He or she must use the interjection to transform the sentence into an exclamatory sentence. This is where it gets fun. If the sentence is interrogative, the student with the interjection must answer with an exclamatory sentence. 
   
   Examples:

   Interrogative sentence:  What is your homework assignment for tonight?

   Exclamatory sentence with interjection:  Fantastic, I have 25 math problems to solve tonight!

   
   

   Imperative sentence: Stop smelling the roses.

   Exclamatory sentence with interjection:  Uh oh, stop smelling the roses!

   
   

   
   
6. Group A and Group B members rotate drawing from the two cans. The winning team is the team that has the most members standing once all the sentences are read or when the other team has no members standing.

Though some of the "new sentences" may sound a little strange, they can be quite humorous. The important thing is students quickly realize the power of interjections and exclamatory sentences and may be much more eager to use them in their writing.

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