Основы теоретической грамматики английского языка

COMMUNICATIVE TYPES OF SENTENCES. 
Sentence is the immediate integral unit of speech built up of words according to a 
definite syntactic pattern and distinguished by a contextually relevant communicative purpose. 
Therefore the sentence is the main object of syntax as part of the grammatical theory.
The sentence is a communicative unit, therefore the primary classification of sentences 
must be based on the communicative principle. The principle is formulated in traditional 
grammar as the “purpose of communication”. Different sentences may express questions or 
statements. If it is a question the speaker expects to hear an answer. However, if it is a statement, 
the aim of the speaker is just to express some thoughts. The sentence has a question pattern if it 
is a question. The question is addressed to a listener. Generally, long sentences have some kind 
of punctuation.
In accord with the purpose of communication three cardinal sentence-types have long 
been recognized in linguistic tradition: the declarative sentence; the imperative (inducive) 
sentence; the interrogative sentence. These communicative sentence-types stand in strict 
opposition to one another.
The declarative sentence expresses a statement, either affirmative or negative. E.g.:
“We live very quietly here, indeed we do; my niece here will tell you the same.” – “Oh, 
come, I’m not such a fool as that,” answered the squire (D. du Maurier)
The imperative sentence expresses inducement, either affirmative or negative. That is, 
it urges the listener, in the form of request or command, to perform or not perform a certain 
action. The imperative sentence is situationally connected with the corresponding “action 
response”. E.g.:
Let’s go and sit down there!
“Send him back!” – “Nonsense, old chap.”

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The interrogative sentence expresses a question, i.e. a request for information wanted 
by the speaker from the listener. It is naturally connected with an answer, forming together with 
it a question-answer dialogue unity. E.g.:
“What do you suggest I should do, then?” said Mary helplessly. “If I were you I should 
be waiting to the last moment.
Alongside the three cardinal communicative sentence-types, another type of sentences 
is recognized in the theory of syntax, namely, the so-called exclamatory sentence. It doesn’t 
possess any complete set of qualities that could place them on one and the same level with the 
three cardinal communicative types of sentences. In other words, each of the cardinal 
communicative types of sentences can be represented in the two variants, exclamatory and non-
exclamatory. E.g.:
What a very small cabin it was! – It was a very small cabin. Why, if it isn’t my lady! – 
It is my lady. Her we can easy identify exclamatory sentences-statements with their non-
exclamatory declarative prototypes.
Similarly, exclamatory questions are related in the syntactic system to the 
corresponding interrogative sentences.
E.g.: Whatever do you mean, Mr,Smith? – What do you mean?
Imperative sentences, naturally, are characterized by a higher degree of emotive 
intensity than the other two cardinal sentence-types. E.g.:
Peter, will you please try to speak loudly! – Try to speak loudly.
All the three pairs of variant communicative types of sentences (non-exclamatory – 
exclamatory for each cardinal division) make up distinct semantico-syntactic oppositions 
effected by regular gram. means of language, such as intonation, word order and special 
constructions with functional-auxilliary lexemic elements.
To Ilysh’s point of view sentences are divided into:
1. Declarative including emotional words;
2. Interrogative including emotional words;
3. Imperative including emotional words;
4. Purely exclamatory sentences. (“Great Heavens!”, “Good Lord!”, etc.)