Interjections in English

Introduction

Have you ever said “Wow!” when you were surprised or “Oops!” when you made a mistake? These words express sudden emotions and are called interjections.

Interjections are a unique part of speech that help us show feelings, emotions, or reactions in a sentence. They are usually short words or phrases that stand alone or appear at the beginning of a sentence.

What is an Interjection?

An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a strong feeling or sudden reaction. It is not grammatically connected to other parts of the sentence but adds emotion or emphasis.

Examples of Interjections in Sentences:

Wow! This view is amazing.
Oh no! I forgot my homework.
Oops! I dropped my phone.

Note: Interjections are often followed by an exclamation mark (!) when expressing strong emotions or a comma (,) when used in a mild tone.

Types of Interjections

Interjections can be classified based on the emotion or reaction they express

Interjections for Greetings

These interjections are used to greet someone or express good wishes.

Common Examples:

Hello! How are you?
Hi! Nice to see you.
Hey! What’s up?
Goodbye! See you soon.

Interjections for Joy and Happiness

These interjections express happiness, excitement, or delight.

Common Examples:

Wow! You won the game!
Yay! We are going on a trip.
Hooray! Our team won the match.
Bravo! That was an excellent performance.

Interjections for Surprise

These interjections show shock, amazement, or disbelief.

Common Examples:

Oh! I didn’t expect to see you here.
What! Are you serious?
Really? You got 100 marks?
Whoa! That was a close call!

Interjections for Pain and Sadness

These interjections express grief, sorrow, or pain.

Common Examples:

Ouch! That hurt!
Alas! The old man passed away.
Oh no! I lost my wallet.
Sigh! I wish I had studied harder.

Interjections for Disgust

These interjections express dislike, annoyance, or disgust.

Common Examples:

Ugh! This food tastes awful.
Yuck! I don’t like this smell.
Ew! That’s gross!
Phew! That was a tiring day.

Interjections for Attention and Call

These interjections help to get someone’s attention.

Common Examples:

Hey! Listen to me.
Excuse me! Could you help me?
Look! There’s a rainbow.
Behold! The king arrives.

Interjections for Agreement and Approval

These interjections show agreement, approval, or encouragement.

Common Examples:

Yes! I will join you.
Indeed! That’s a great idea.
Well done! You did an amazing job.
Right! I completely agree with you.

Interjections for Doubt and Hesitation

These interjections show uncertainty, hesitation, or confusion.

Common Examples:

Um… I am not sure.
Hmm… Let me think about it.
Er… I forgot what I was going to say.
Uh-oh! Something went wrong.

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