Exclamations
Exclamations are often constructed with how and what or with so and such; negative question forms are also common.
Exclamations with how
These are often felt to be a little formal or old-fashioned.
how + adjective
- Strawberries! How nice!
how + adjective/adverb + subject + verb
- How cold it is! (not
How it is cold!) - How beautifully you sing! (not
How you sing beautifully!)
how + subject + verb
- How you’ve grown!
For the structure of expressions like How strange a remark, (see here).
Exclamations with what
what a/an (+ adjective) + singular countable noun
- What a rude man! (not
What rude man!) - What a nice dress! (not
What nice dress!) - What a surprise!
what (+ adjective) + uncountable/plural noun
- What beautiful weather! (not
What a beautiful weather!) - What lovely flowers!
- What fools!
what + object + subject + verb (note word order)
- What a beautiful smile your sister has! (not
… has your sister!)
Exclamations with so and such
so + adjective
- You’re so kind!
such a/an (+ adjective) + singular countable noun
- He’s such a nice boy! (not
… a such nice boy!)
such (+ adjective) + uncountable/plural noun
- They talk such rubbish! (not
… such a rubbish!) - They’re such kind people! (not
… so kind people!)
For more information about such and so, (see here).
Negative question forms
- Isn’t the weather nice!
- Hasn’t she grown!
Americans and some British speakers may use ordinary (non-negative) question forms in exclamations.
- Boy, am I hungry!
- Wow, did she make a mistake!
- Was I furious!
For more information about negative questions, (see here).