Clause types in context
The four clause types are a central part of English grammar. An understanding of declarative, imperative, interrogative and exclamative clause types can help students recognise how writers use these structures to create meaning in different ways, and can help them develop a better repertoire of structures in their own writing.
The Activity page appears in the menu entitled 'This Unit' in the upper right of this page. On the Activity page, each slide presents a different situation and three potential audiences. Display each slide on the projector, one by one. The students' task – in groups or pairs – is to create three different responses to each situation, one using a declarative, one an interrogative and one an imperative clause.
We’ll go through the first slide together:
Situation: You’re visiting a friend’s house. You’re in a cold room and the window is open. What can you say to each of the following to get the window shut?
- your friend
- your friend’s grandmother
- your friend’s annoying little brother
Remember, students need to use one of each of the declarative, imperative and interrogative clause types and they need to think about which ones might be most appropriate for the target audience.
Example responses:
- It’s cold in here. (declarative)
- Would you mind shutting the window, please? (interrogative)
- Be a good little boy and shut the window for us. (imperative)
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Clause types in context: Activity
You’re visiting a friend’s house. You’re in a cold room and the window is open. What can you say to each of the following to get the window shut?
- your friend
- your friend’s grandmother
- your friend’s annoying little brother
You’re carrying several boxes of books. Then you drop one, spilling its contents all over the floor. You need help and there are people around who could be of assistance. What do you say to each of the following?
- a close friend
- a complete stranger who looks a lot older than you
- a group of primary school children walking by
You’re at a friend’s house and their dad has cooked dinner. You can’t eat what he’s cooked as you have an allergy to one of the ingredients. What could you say to each of the following people?
- your friend
- your friend’s dad
- your friend’s older sister
You’re in the student common room at college trying to work on an English Language project. You’re trying to concentrate, but someone nearby is talking loudly on their phone. What would you say if the person on the phone was each of the following?
- another student
- one of the dinner ladies
- your head of year