Identifying Sentence Types

1. Declarative Sentence (செய்தி வாக்கியம்)

Definition:
A declarative sentence states information, facts, opinions, or ideas. It makes a statement.

Identifying Features:

• Ends with verb forms like "கிறான்", "கிறாள்", "கிறார்", "கின்றன"
• Ends with period (.)
• Has a normal statement structure

Examples:

1. "Tamil is a classical language"
2. "It is raining"
3. "He went to school"
4. "The Earth revolves around the Sun"
5. "Reading books is good"

2. Interrogative Sentence (வினா வாக்கியம்)

Definition:
An interrogative sentence asks a question and seeks information or clarification.

Identifying Features:

• Ends with question mark (?)
• Contains question words: "யார்" (who), "என்ன" (what), "எங்கே" (where), "எப்போது" (when), "எப்படி" (how), "ஏன்" (why)
• May have interrogative particles "ஆ", "ஏ", "ஓ"

Examples:

1. "Where are you going?"
2. "What is this object?"
3. "Who came?"
4. "When will you leave?"
5. "Did you come?"

3. Imperative Sentence (கட்டளை வாக்கியம்)

Definition:
An imperative sentence gives commands, orders, advice, requests, or warnings.

Identifying Features:

• Ends with verb forms like "செய்", "போ", "வா", "படி"
• Usually lacks explicit subject
• May have exclamation mark (!) for emphasis

Examples:

1. "Come immediately"
2. "Read the book"
3. "Don't lie"
4. "Close the door"
5. "Please be quiet"

4. Exclamatory Sentence (வியப்பு வாக்கியம்)

Definition:
An exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotions like surprise, joy, sorrow, or anger.

Identifying Features:

• Ends with exclamation mark (!)
• Contains interjections: "அடடா", "ஐயோ", "ஆஹா"
• Has emotional tone
• Often uses "என்ன", "எத்தனை", "எவ்வளவு" for emphasis

Examples:

1. "How beautiful!"
2. "Oh no! We made a big mistake!"
3. "Alas! Poor thing!"
4. "Wow! It tastes delicious!"
5. "What a wonderful scene!"

5. Optative Sentence (விருப்ப வாக்கியம்)

Definition:
An optative sentence expresses wish, desire, blessing, prayer, or benediction.

Identifying Features:

• Ends with optative verb forms: "ஆக", "ஆகுக", "வேண்டும்", "வாயாக"
• Conveys blessing or prayer sentiment

Examples:

1. "May you live a hundred years!"
2. "May God protect you!"
3. "You should succeed"
4. "May you return safely!"
5. "May Tamil flourish!"

Practice 1: Identify the Sentence Type

Identify the type of the following sentences:

1. "Tamil is sweet"

• Answer: Declarative Sentence
• Reason: States a fact, ends with period

2. "When will you come?"

• Answer: Interrogative Sentence
• Reason: Contains question word "எப்போது" (when), ends with question mark

3. "Start your studies immediately"

• Answer: Imperative Sentence
• Reason: Command form "தொடங்கு", no explicit subject

4. "What a wonderful victory!"

• Answer: Exclamatory Sentence
• Reason: Contains "என்ன" (what) expressing wonder, exclamation mark

5. "May your life prosper"

• Answer: Optative Sentence
• Reason: Contains "வேண்டும்" (should/may), expresses blessing

Practice 2: More Examples

6. "Alas! What sorrow!"

• Answer: Exclamatory Sentence
• Reason: Interjection "ஐயோ", exclamation mark, emotional tone

7. "Go to school on time"

• Answer: Imperative Sentence
• Reason: Command form "செல்" (go)

8. "Who is knocking on the door?"

• Answer: Interrogative Sentence
• Reason: Question word "யார்" (who), question mark

9. "India got independence in 1947"

• Answer: Declarative Sentence
• Reason: States a historical fact

10. "May you live healthily!"

• Answer: Optative Sentence
• Reason: Optative verb form "வாழ்வாயாக", blessing

Practice 3: Complex Sentences

11. "How beautiful these flowers are!"

• Answer: Exclamatory Sentence
• Reason: "எத்தனை" expressing wonder, exclamation mark

12. "Walk carefully"

• Answer: Imperative Sentence
• Reason: Advisory/warning command

13. "How many stars are in the sky?"

• Answer: Interrogative Sentence
• Reason: Question word "எத்தனை" (how many), question mark

14. "Long live Tamil Mother!"

• Answer: Optative Sentence
• Reason: Optative verb "வாழ்க" (may live), blessing sentiment

15. "The rain has stopped"

• Answer: Declarative Sentence
• Reason: States an event that occurred

Practice 4: Mixed Sentences

16. "Wow! What a sweet song!"

• Answer: Exclamatory Sentence

17. "Is there class tomorrow?"

• Answer: Interrogative Sentence

18. "Don't speak loudly"

• Answer: Imperative Sentence

19. "May God protect everyone!"

• Answer: Optative Sentence

20. "Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu"

• Answer: Declarative Sentence

Question Patterns in TNPSC Exams

Question Formats:

Format 1: Direct Identification
"What type of sentence is the following?"

• A sentence is given and its type is asked

Format 2: Matching

• Four sentences and four types given for matching

Format 3: Incorrect Match

• Find the incorrectly matched sentence type

Key Points to Remember:

Declarative Sentence (செய்தி வாக்கியம்):

✓ States fact, information, opinion
✓ Period (.) punctuation
✓ Forms: "கிறான், கிறாள், கிறார், கிறது"

Interrogative Sentence (வினா வாக்கியம்):

✓ Asks question
✓ Question mark (?)
✓ Question words: யார், என்ன, எங்கே, எப்போது, எப்படி, எத்தனை, ஏன்
✓ Interrogative particles: "ஆ, ஏ, ஓ"

Imperative Sentence (கட்டளை வாக்கியம்):

✓ Command, order, request
✓ No explicit subject
✓ Forms: "செய், போ, வா, படி, எழுது"

Exclamatory Sentence (வியப்பு வாக்கியம்):

✓ Emotional expression
✓ Exclamation mark (!)
✓ Words: "அடடா, ஐயோ, ஆஹா, என்ன, எத்தனை, எவ்வளவு"

Optative Sentence (விருப்ப வாக்கியம்):

✓ Wish, desire, blessing, prayer
✓ Forms: "ஆக, ஆகுக, வேண்டும், வாயாக"

Tricky Situations:

1. "என்ன" - Multiple meanings

• "என்ன அழகு!" → Exclamatory
• "இது என்ன?" → Interrogative

2. "எத்தனை" - Multiple meanings

• "எத்தனை பேர் வந்தனர்?" → Interrogative
• "எத்தனை அழகு!" → Exclamatory

3. Importance of Punctuation:

• (.) → Usually Declarative
• (?) → Interrogative
• (!) → Exclamatory or Imperative

Previous Year TNPSC Questions:

Q1: "Where are you going?" - What type?

• Answer: Interrogative Sentence

Q2: "Close the door" - What type?

• Answer: Imperative Sentence

Q3: "What a beautiful scene!" - What type?

• Answer: Exclamatory Sentence

Q4: "May you live a hundred years" - What type?

• Answer: Optative Sentence

Q5: "Tamil is a classical language" - What type?

• Answer: Declarative Sentence

Areas to Practice:

1. Master Question Words

   • யார், என்ன, எது, எங்கே, எப்போது, எப்படி, எத்தனை, எவ்வளவு, ஏன்

2. Practice Verb Forms

   • Declarative, interrogative, imperative, optative verb endings

3. Learn Interjections

   • அடடா, ஐயோ, ஆஹா, ஓ, ஏ, ஆ

4. Understand Punctuation

   • Usage of . ? !

Quick Identification Method:

Step 1: Check punctuation

• ? → Interrogative (usually)
• ! → Exclamatory or Imperative

Step 2: Look for question words

• யார், என்ன (question), எங்கே, எப்போது → Interrogative

Step 3: Check for emotional interjections

• அடடா, ஐயோ, ஆஹா → Exclamatory

Step 4: Check for blessing sentiment

• ஆக, ஆகுக, வாழ்க, வேண்டும் → Optative

Step 5: No subject, command form?

• செய், போ, வா → Imperative

Step 6: Others

• Declarative

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

❌ Mistake 1: Thinking "என்ன" always means exclamatory
✓ Correct: "என்ன செய்கிறாய்?" → Interrogative

❌ Mistake 2: Exclamation mark always means exclamatory
✓ Correct: "உடனே வா!" → Imperative

❌ Mistake 3: "வேண்டும்" always means optative
✓ Correct: "நான் போக வேண்டும்" → Declarative (necessity)
✓ Correct: "நீ வெற்றி பெற வேண்டும்" → Optative (blessing)