The Importance of Interjections in Communication
Table of Content
Interjections are words or phrases used to express strong emotions or reactions, like surprise, excitement, or frustration. These short exclamations, such as "Wow!" or "Oops!", addenergy and emotion to our sentences, making our communication more lively and engaging. Understanding interjections helps students use them effectively in both spoken and written language, adding depth and feeling to their expressions.
What are Interjections?
Interjections are one of the eight different parts of speech in English grammar. They are short, passionate words used to express strong emotion. Use interjections to quickly communicate your emotions. Since they are more widely used in spoken English, they should be avoided in official writing.
They are one-of-a-kind and have a few unique characteristics: interjections have no grammatical function in sentence structure. Normally, they can't be updated or altered in any manner. They don't have to be tied to anything else in the statement. Examples of interjections are yikes, umm, ughh, uhh, and so on.
Interjections- Definition
An interjection, as defined by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “a short sound, word, or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion.” The Cambridge Dictionary describes it as “a word that shows a brief, sudden expression of emotion.” Merriam-Webster defines an interjection as “a word or phrase used in exclamation,” while the Macmillan Dictionary explains it as “a word or phrase used to express strong emotions like surprise or anger.” According to the Collins Dictionary, an interjection is “a word or expression used to convey a strong feeling, such as surprise, pain, or horror.”
Types of Interjections with Examples
The different types of interjection are helpful to identify the parts of speech that help decide whether an interjection is necessary or not. These types are based on one's emotions or feelings.
Rules for Interjections
1. An interjection can be used before or after a statement that explains what is happening.
Example:
Wow! That is an incredible scene.
Wow
What? That's something you never told me!
What
2. Some interjections are limited to expressing yes or no.
Example:
Yes! I'm sure I'll pull it off.
No way are we going.
Yes and No
3. Some interjections are used to break up a conversation or a thought or to hold someone's attention for a brief period of time.
Example:
On the back of your shirt, um there's a stain.
The date went meh.
Meh
4. In casual and informal writing, interjections are acceptable. It's also alright to use them in conversation.
Interjection Vs Exclamations
Interjections Examples in sentences
1. "Wow!" she exclaimed, "This place is beautiful!"
2. "Oops," I dropped the glass.
3. "Hurray!" We won the match!
4. "Yikes," that was a close call.
5. "Oh no," I forgot my wallet at home.
6. "Aha," I knew you were hiding something.
7. "Hey," wait for me!
8. "Ouch!" That really hurt.
9. "Uh-oh," I think we have a problem.
10. "Phew," I'm glad that's over.
List of Interjections Words in our Daily Communication
How to use Interjections with examples
When using interjections, it's important to follow some key punctuation rules. Here are the things you should remember:
If a short interjection starts a sentence, it should be followed by a comma.
If an interjection stands alone as a sentence, it can end with a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
When an interjection is placed in the middle of a sentence, it should have a comma before and after it.
In conversation, interjections can sometimes stand alone.
Avoid using too many interjections in formal writing or speech.
1. Interjection at the beginning of a sentence:
"Wow, that was an amazing performance!"
"Oh, I didn’t see that coming."
2. Interjection as a complete sentence:
"Oops! I spilled my drink."
"Aha! I found the answer."
"Huh? What did you say?"
3. Interjection in the middle of a sentence:
"The movie, well, was not as good as I expected."
"She, oh no, forgot to bring the keys."
4. Interjection standing alone in conversation:
"Hey!"
"Hmm."
"Yikes!"
5. Avoiding interjections in formal writing:
Formal: "The presentation was highly informative."
Informal: "Wow, the presentation was super informative!"
Exercise for Interjection Examples Sentences
1. How many among the following are types of interjection?
A. Interjection of Affection
B. Interjection of Sound
C. Interjection of Sorrow
D. All of the above
E. Only C
Ans: C. Interjection of Sorrow is the correct answer.
2. How many major types of interjection are there?
A. 6
B. 7
C. 5
D. 8
Ans: The answer is 6. Option A.
3. Fill in the correct injection
A. ____! Tina, you look great today.
Wow
Ans: Wow
B. _____ . That hurt.
Ouch
Ans: Ouch
C. ____ ! I forgot to bring my notes.
Oh
Ans: Oh
D. ____! His mother died.
Alas
Ans: Alas
E. ____! There is a Harry Potter read along today at the library.
Yay
Ans: Yay
Test your Knowledge on Interjections
1. Identify the type of interjection.
A. Hello. Are you okay there? Here, Hello is what type of interjection?
Greeting
1. The Interjection of Joy
2. The interjection of Approval
3. The interjection of Greeting
4. The interjection of Sorrow
B. Ah! Today was a terrible day. Ah! Here is an …?
Whining
1. The interjection of Sorrow
2. The interjection of Approval
3. The interjection of Greeting
4. The Interjection of Joy
C. Write the correct interjection
1. _________ ! This dish is so delicious.
Eating
A. Splendid
B. Whoops
C. What
D. Yikes
2. ________! The teacher has arrived.
Teacher
A. Behold
B. Look
C. Phew
D. Oh Dear
3. _________ ! We won the game.
Games
A. Excellent
B. Ahem
C. Hush
D. Bravo
D. Fill in the blank with proper Interjection
1. ________! That sunset is absolutely stunning.
2. ________! I dropped my pen on the floor.
3. ________! That was a close call.
4. ________! We finally finished the project.
5. ________! I’ve found the missing piece of the puzzle.
6. ________! I forgot my homework at home.
7. ________! I'm glad that's over.
Here you Go—Check if your Answers Match the Ones Below!
1.
The Interjection of Greeting
The Interjection of Sorrow
C.
Splendid! The dish is so delicious.
Look! The teacher has arrived.
Bravo! We won the game
D.
Wow
Oops
Yikes
Hurray
Aha
Oh no
Phew
Takeaways from this Page
Interjections help students recognize how emotions and reactions can be expressed in just one or two words.
Students will learn the correct punctuation for interjections, such as when to use commas, exclamation marks, and periods.
They can identify different types of interjections, like those expressing joy, surprise, pain, or sorrow, and understand their appropriate usage.
Students will understand where interjections can be placed in a sentence, whether at the beginning, middle, or end, and how it affects the tone of the sentence.
They will learn about the appropriateness of using interjections in formal versus informal contexts, understanding when and where they should or should not be used.
FAQs on What are Interjections? Examples and Usage
1. What is an example of an interjection?
An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses feeling rather than meaning and is grammatically independent of the words around it. Oh, such a lovely home! Oh no! This appears to be a disaster. It's time to call it a night. It isn't, in fact, my dog.
2. What are the benefits of using interjections in sentences?
Interjections emerge in sentences to set tone and emotion as one of the eight major components of speech. Interjections convey how the author or speaker feels, despite the fact that they have no grammatical relationship to the rest of the sentence. When we wish to express a strong emotion like anger, disgust, denial, enthusiasm, frustration, happiness, or grief, we utilise interjections.
It's a word that is used to express emotion. Interjections are employed in writing to create emotive statements without the usage of additional descriptive words.
3. How can you know if anything is an interjection?
Interjections are frequently distinct from conventional sentences, retaining their syntactic independence defiantly. An interjection isn't used to indicate grammatical categories like tense or number. Most scholars have opted to disregard them since they appear more frequently in spoken English than in written English.
"Hey!" is an example of an interjection, which is a component of speech that expresses the author's emotion or sentiment or draws the audience's attention. These words or phrases can appear before or after a sentence, or they can stand alone.
4. How many types of interjections are there in English grammar?
Interjections can generally be categorised into several types based on the emotions or reactions they express. Here are the main types:
1. Interjections of Greeting: Used to express greetings or to get someone's attention.
Examples: "Hello!", "Hey!"
2. Interjections of Joy: Express happiness or excitement.
Examples: "Hurray!", "Yay!"
3. Interjections of Surprise: Show sudden surprise or shock.
Examples: "Wow!", "Oh!"
4. Interjections of Sorrow: Indicate sadness or regret.
Examples: "Alas!", "Oh no!"
5. Interjections of Anger or Annoyance: Used to express frustration, anger, or irritation.
Examples: "Ugh!", "Darn!"
6. Interjections of Approval: Show agreement, praise, or approval.
Examples: "Bravo!", "Well done!"
7. Interjections of Disgust: Indicate dislike or disgust.
Examples: "Yuck!", "Ew!"
8. Interjections of Doubt or Hesitation: Express uncertainty or hesitation.
- Examples: "Hmm...", "Uh..."
5. What is an interjection?
An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a strong emotion or reaction, like "Wow!" or "Oops!" They are usually short and stand alone or at the beginning of a sentence.
6. How do you use interjections in a sentence?
Interjections can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence to express emotion. They are often followed by a comma or an exclamation mark.
7. Can interjections stand alone?
Yes, interjections can stand alone as a complete sentence, especially in conversations, like "Oops!" or "Wow!"
8. Are interjections formal or informal?
Interjections are usually informal and are more commonly used in casual conversations and writing rather than in formal contexts.
9. Why are interjections important in communication?
Interjections add emotion and express feelings quickly, making communication more lively and expressive.
10. What are some common interjections?
Some common interjections include "Wow," "Oops," "Hey," "Oh," "Yikes," and "Hurray."
11. Do interjections always need punctuation?
Yes, interjections are usually followed by a comma, exclamation mark, or question mark, depending on the emotion they express.
12. When should I avoid using interjections?
It's best to avoid using interjections in formal writing, such as academic papers or professional emails, where a more formal tone is required.
