1.2. Classifying the sentence according to meaning
In this criterion, the classification depends on the meaning of the sentence. Here the sentence has the following types:
1.2.1 The Declarative sentence
The declarative sentence is the sentence in which the subject is present and precedes its verb. Usually this type of the sentence is used to make statements, e. g.
He plays the piano very well.
1.2.2. The interrogative sentence
The interrogative sentence is the sentence in which the verb comes before its subject and it is of two types:
a) The wh-interrogative sentence which begins with a question word like what, where, which, whom, how,…etc. followed be the verb then the subject, e. g.
How does he play piano?
b) The yes-no interrogative sentence which begins with an auxiliary verb followed by the subject e, g,.
Does he play piano well?
1.2.3. The imperative sentence
The imperative sentence is the sentence which begins with a verb in the base form. The subject of this sentence is not mentioned and it is usually “you”, e. g.
Play the piano. (You play the piano.)
1.2.4. The exclamatory sentence
The exclamatory sentence is the sentence which takes one of the following forms:
a) What + (adjective) + noun +(pro)noun + be!
Examples:
What a book it is!
What interesting books they are!
What a girl she was!
What an amusing person he was!
b) How + adjective + (pro)noun + be!
Examples:
How useful this book is!
How interesting they were!
How interesting books these are!
How amusing he was!