THE EXCLAMATIVE AND
IMPERATIVE CLAUSE TYPES
THE EXCLAMATIVE
The exclamative clause type starts with a wh- word, either the determinative what, followed by a nominal group or the degree adverb how and an adjective, adverb or statement:
Wh- element
What a shock they’ll have!
What a mess we have made. [GI6]
How dark it is!
How it snowed!
Exclamatives have the Subject-Finite ordering that is characteristic of the declarative; the element following the wh- word is a clause constituent which has been brought to the front of the clause. For these reasons exclamative clauses are sometimes considered as an emotive element superimposed on the declarative rather than as a distinct mood.
The declarative clauses corresponding to these examples are as follows:
They’ll have a shock.
We’ve made a mess.
It is dark.
It snowed.
How-exclamative clauses can sound somewhat theatrical nowadays, especially when followed by an adverb (How well he played!). More commonly heard than clausal exclamatives in everyday spoken English are abbreviated noun-headed or adjective- headed forms.
Embedded (or indirect) exclamatives occur regularly in both spoken and written English. We refer to them as wh- complements, and simply illustrate them here:
You wouldn’t believe how badly the prisoners were treated.
