Types Of Sentences

Second Grade, Third Grade Writing

Use this lesson to introduce your class to four kinds of sentences, and how understanding and using different
types of sentences allows writers to control the tone of their sentences.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to differentiate between the four different types of sentences. Students will be able to
write the four different types of sentences.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Board markers declarative sentence

Notebooks or lined paper (one per student) imperative sentence
Get into Grammar: Types of Sentences interrogative sentence
Punctuating Sentence Types: Declaratory, exclamatory sentence
Exclamatory, and Interrogative
Index cards
Colored pencils

Attachments

Punctuating Sentence Types: Declaratory, Exclamatory, and Interrogative (PDF)

Get into Grammar: Types of Sentences (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

To begin the lesson, write a simple declarative sentence on the board. You should be able to change the
tone of this sentence by switching out the punctuation. Some great examples include: I have a hat. I like
ice cream.
Next, change the period at the end of the sentence to a question mark. Ask students to share their
thoughts on how the question mark changes the meaning of the sentence.
Then, change the question mark into an exclamation point. Again, ask your students how this changes
the meaning of the sentence.
Explain to your students that the meaning of a sentence is determined by the type of sentence format
used to write it.
Tell your students that they will be learning about the four different types of sentences today. Ask the
class for volunteers to list the different types of sentences.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (15 minutes)

Once students have made educated guesses, write the following four words on the board: declarative,
imperative, interrogative, exclamatory.
Tell your students that a declarative sentence makes a statement or expresses an opinion. Give your
students an example to illustrate the meaning. Examples include: I love my dog. The flower is pretty.
Write the meaning and example on the board.
Define an imperative sentence as a sentence that gives a command. Give your class an example that
is similar to the declarative sentence, to help illustrate what a command looks like. Write the meaning
and example on the board. Examples include: Feed my dog. Smell the flower.

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 Explain that an interrogative sentence asks a question. List a concrete example to illustrate this, such
as: What is my dog doing? Where do these flowers grow? Write the meaning and example on the board.
Finally, tell your class that an exclamatory sentence is used to show excitement or another strong
emotion. Finish up with an example, such as: My dog is loud! The flower is beautiful! Write the meaning
and example on the board.

Guided Practice (20 minutes)

Pair off students in groups of two, or ask them to find a partner.

Pass out notebooks or lined paper to each student.
Instruct each pair of students to write four sentences together, one of each type.
Set the timer to 10 minutes.
After the timer goes off, encourage each pair of students to share the sentences they wrote. Invite some
volunteers to write their sentence (and the type of sentence it is) on the board.
Ask the rest of the class to ensure that each of the sentences on the board are labeled correctly, and
have students fix sentences with incorrect labels. An example of an incorrect sentence for a declarative
sentence could be: Why is recess only 30 minutes?

Independent working time (20 minutes)

Ask your students to complete the Write A Sentence worksheet.

Once everyone has finished, review the worksheet together as a class.

Differentiation

Enrichment: Challenge advanced students to write a short story, using all four types of sentences. Ask
them to read their story and underline the declarative sentences in red, interrogative in blue, imperative
in green, and exclamatory in yellow.
Support: Ask your students to write five questions that they would ask the president. After they are done
writing, explain that these are interrogative sentences. Ask your students to write five requests in
complete sentences that they have for the principal. Explain to your students that these are imperative
sentences. Ask your students to write five sentences that show that they are excited about the field trip.
Explain to your students that these are exclamatory sentences. Ask your students to write five sentences
about school in complete sentences. Explain to your students that these are declarative sentences.
Scaffolding this practice in a context kids feel comfortable with will help them grasp the concept of each
type of sentence.

Assessment (15 minutes)

Ask your students to complete the Sentence Types worksheet.

Review and closing (20 minutes)

Write declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory on 24 different index cards. There should be
six cards for each. Please add an extra one for each kind if you have more students in your class.
Go around the class and have each student pull out a card and write the sentence for their type on the
back.
Set the timer to three minutes.
Ask your students to share the sentence they wrote with the class. Have the class say the type of
sentence aloud.

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 Name Date

Punctuating Sentence Types:

Declarative, Exclamatory, Interrogative
Add the correct ending onto each sentence:
Put a period (.) if the sentence is declarative, or makes a statement.
Put an exclamation point (!) if the sentence is exclamatory, or expresses a strong feeling.
Put a question mark (?) if the sentence is interrogative, or asks a question.

The prince is going to rescue a princess who is locked up on the mountain

He has gathered all his weapons to slay the dragon who guards the princess

When he gets there, he sees the dragon and gets scared

“What should I do ” he asks

Suddenly, a fairy appears

She says, “Don’t worry, I can help you with my magic ”

With the help of the fairy, the prince tames the dragon and rescues the princess

The prince and the princess live happily every after

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 Name Date

Types of Sentences
There are three main sentence types:
Declarative: a sentence that makes a statement.
Exclamatory: a sentence that expresses a strong feeling.
Interrogative: a sentence that asks a question.
Use each picture on the left to write a declarative, exclamatory, or interrogative sentence.
Don’t forget to punctuate accordingly!

Write a declarative sentence. EXAMPLE

The princess’s braid is very long.

Write an exclamatory sentence.

$ 50,000

Write a declarative sentence.

Write an interrogative sentence.

Write a declarative sentence.

Write an interrogative sentence.

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