Exclamatory

Question

1. (What an excellence presentation you gave) really impressed us.
2. After he had gone, his mother always thought of (what a wonderful son he had been.)

Can I use Exclamatory form in the sentences above?

Thank you in advance.

GPY · Accepted Answer

1. This is not correct. You can say "What an excellent presentation you gave! It/You really impressed us!"

2. Grammatically possible, but not the greatest sentence ever written, in my opinion. "about" or no preposition may be better than "of". It is not an exclamatory "what" if a preposition is included. It is scarcely exclamatory even with no preposition.

I do not recommend that you use brackets to highlight phrases. It makes it seem as if the phrases are parenthetical or optional. You can use bold or underline instead.

CalifJim · Answer

Belinda Chenan excellence presentation

an excellent presentation

Here's the pattern.

noun ............. adjective
excellence ..... excellent
difference ....... different
significance .... significant
reliance ........... reliant

Belinda ChenExclamatory form

Generally speaking, no. Exclamatory clauses are not used like that. Your second example isn't too bad, though.
_________________

The following is based on remarks in Introduction to the Grammar of English (Huddleston)

There is often ambiguity between an interrogative and an exclamatory clause.
How much remains to be done[? / !]

Some verbs can take both kinds of clauses, so there may be two interpretations of such a clause.
I remember how long it had taken.
a) I remember the answer to the question "How long did it take?" (interrogative interpretation)
b) I remember it had taken a remarkably long time. (exclamative interpretation)

Many verbs cannot take an exclamative clause complement. Thus the following is ungrammatical.

He inquired what a long time it had taken.

But the following are grammatical because 'remember' and 'know' can take an exclamative clause complement.

He [remembered / knew] what a long time it had taken.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThus the following is ungrammatical.He inquired what a long time it had taken.

Is He inquired what a long time it had taken ungrammatical?

Is He inquired where we were to meet grammatical?

CalifJim · Answer

CalifJimthe following is ungrammatical. He inquired what a long time it had taken.
Anonymous: Is He inquired what a long time it had taken ungrammatical?

Yes.

AnonymousIs He inquired where we were to meet grammatical?

Yes.
__________

The verb inquire allows an interrogative (e.g., where) clause complement, but not an exclamative (e.g., what a) clause complement.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThe verb inquire allows an interrogative (e.g., where) clause complement, but not an exclamative (e.g., what a) clause complement.

Is it possible to interpret "what" as an interrogative in He inquired what a long time it had taken thus rendering the sentence grammatical?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousIs it possible to interpret "what" as an interrogative in He inquired what a long time it had taken thus rendering the sentence grammatical?

No. 'what' is a determiner in a 'what a' exclamative expression.

CJ

Clive · Answer

It might be helpful to consider the form of his direct questions.

He inquired where we were to meet .
"Where are we to meet?"

He inquired what a long time it had taken.
What did he actually say? I don't know,because the sentence is ungrammatical.

Belinda Chen · Answer

Thank you for the notification.

You mentioned that "it is not an exclamatory what if a preposition is included". Then what a wonderful son he had been in the sentence I made would be interrogation?

Belinda Chen · Answer

Thank you for the notification. You mentioned that "it is not an exclamatory what if a preposition is included". Then what a wonderful son he had been in the sentence I made would be interrogation?

Belinda Chen · Answer

GPY1. This is not correct. You can say "What an excellent presentation you gave! It/You really impressed us!"2. Grammatically possible, but not the greatest sentence ever written, in my opinion. "about" or no preposition may be better than "of". It is not an exclamatory "what" if a preposition is included. It is scarcely exclamatory even with no preposition.I do not recommend that you use brackets to highlight phrases. It makes it seem as if the phrases are parenthetical or optional. You can use bold or underline instead.

Thank you for the notification.

You mentioned that "it is not an exclamatory what if a preposition is included". Then what a wonderful son he had been in the sentence I made would be interrogation?

Exclamatory

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