Interjection
An interjection is a unique part of English grammar. Unlike other parts of speech, interjections express sudden feelings, emotions, or reactions. They often stand alone and are commonly used in spoken English, conversations, dialogues, and informal writing. Interjections add emotion and life to language.
This article explains interjections in depth, including definitions, types, rules, examples, common mistakes, and practice exercises, in simple and clear English.
An interjection is a word or phrase used to express strong emotions or sudden feelings such as surprise, joy, anger, pain, sorrow, or excitement. It usually stands alone and is followed by an exclamation mark (!).
Types of Interjection
| Type | Usage | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Joy | Used to express happiness or pleasure | Hurrah! We won the match. |
| Sorrow | Used to express sadness or pain | Alas! He lost his wallet. |
| Surprise | Used to express sudden feeling | Oh! I didn’t know that. |
| Approval | Used to show praise or approval | Bravo! You did a great job. |
| Attention | Used to draw attention | Hey! Listen to me. |
Interjections of Joy:
Interjections of joy are words used to express sudden happiness or excitement. They show positive emotions like pleasure, success, or surprise. Examples include “Hurray!”, “Wow!”, and “Yippee!”.
1. Hurrah! We won the match.
2. Yay! It’s my birthday today.
3. Great! You got the promotion.
4. Excellent! You solved it.
5. Wow! This place is beautiful.
6. Yippee! The holidays have begun.
7. Yahoo! Our team is the champion.
8. Bravo! That was a fantastic performance.
9. Ha! I finally found the answer.
10. Nice! You got a new car.
Interjections of Sorrow:
Interjections of sorrow are words used to express sadness, pain, or grief. They show feelings of loss, disappointment, or suffering. Examples include “Alas!”, “Oh no!”, and “Ah!”.
1. Oh no! I lost my wallet.
2. Too bad! We missed the bus.
3. Oh! That was heartbreaking.
4. Aww! That’s so sad.
5. Oh man! This is terrible.
6. Alas! The poor man lost his job.
7. Ah! I hurt my leg.
8. Sadly! The old house was destroyed.
9. Ouch! My hand is bleeding.
10. Alack! We have failed again.
Interjections of Surprise:
Interjections of surprise are words used to express sudden shock or amazement. They show unexpected feelings caused by something unusual or sudden. Examples include “Oh!”, “Wow!”, and “Ah!”.
1. Really! That’s unbelievable.
2. Oh boy! That’s a big one.
3. My goodness! That’s fast.
4. Oh! What a miracle!
5. Huh! That’s strange.
6. Oh! What a big house!
7. Wow! This is amazing.
8. Ah! So you are here.
9. Dear me! How did this happen?
10. What! You won the prize?
Interjections of Approval or Praise:
Interjections of approval or praise are words used to express appreciation or admiration. They show positive judgment about a person’s action or achievement. Examples include “Bravo!”, “Well done!”, and “Excellent!”.
1. Bravo! You sang beautifully.
2. Wonderful! You are amazing.
3. Fabulous! I love this.
4. Cool! That’s brilliant.
5. Marvellous! I’m impressed.
Interjections of Greeting:
Interjections of greeting are words used to welcome or meet someone politely. They express friendliness and respect at the beginning of a conversation. Examples include “Hello!”, “Hi!”, and “Good morning!”.
1. Hello! How are you?
2. Good morning!
3. Hi there!
4. Welcome back!
5. Good day!
Interjections of Attention or Calling:
Interjections of attention or calling are words used to attract someone’s notice. They are spoken to call, warn, or make someone listen. Examples include “Hey!”, “Listen!”, and “Look!”.
1. Listen! I have something to say.
2. Look! The train is coming.
3. Hey! Come here.
4. Hey! Come here.
5. Hear me!
Interjections of Anger or Disgust:
Interjections of anger or disgust are words used to express strong dislike or irritation. They show feelings of annoyance, hatred, or rejection. Examples include “Fie!”, “Ugh!”, and “Bah!”.
1. Damn! I missed the train.
2. Ugh! That smells bad.
3. Rubbish! Don’t say that.
4. Grr! I’m so angry.
5. Pshaw! I don’t care.
Interjections of Pain:
Usage: Interjections of pain are used to express sudden physical discomfort or hurt.
1. Ouch! That hurts.
2. Ahh! My leg!
3. Oww! That was painful.
4. Oops! I hit my knee.
5. Oh dear! My arm!
Interjections of Fear:
Interjections of fear are words used to express sudden fright or alarm. They show feelings of danger, shock, or panic. Examples include “Ah!”, “Oh!”, and “Help!”.
1. Ah! A snake!
2. Eek! A spider!
3. Gosh! I’m scared.
4. Oh dear! What’s that sound?
5. Oh! A ghost!
Interjections of Doubt or Hesitation:
Interjections of doubt or hesitation are words used to express uncertainty or indecision. They show a pause in thought or lack of confidence before speaking or acting. Examples include “Hmm”, “Uh”, and “Er”.
1. Hmm! I’m not sure.
2. Oh! Maybe you’re right.
3. I mean! That’s possible.
4. Well! Let me see.
5. So! What do you think?
Common Mistakes
1. Missing punctuation
❌ Oh I forgot my keys
✅ Oh, I forgot my keys.
Interjections are followed by comma or exclamation mark.
2. Overusing interjections
❌ Oh! Wow! Hey! I did it!
✅ Wow! I did it!
Avoid using too many interjections.
3. Using wrong interjection
❌ Alas! I won the match
✅ Hurray! I won the match
Choose interjection according to emotion.
4. Using interjection in formal writing
❌ Wow! The report is complete
✅ The report is complete.
Avoid interjections in formal writing.
5. Confusing interjections
❌ Oops! I passed the exam
✅ Great! I passed the exam
6. Capitalization mistake
❌ oh! I am late
✅ Oh! I am late
Interjections usually start with capital letters.
7. Using interjection mid-sentence
❌ He was oh very angry
✅ He was very angry
8. Missing exclamation for strong feeling
❌ Alas I lost my phone
✅ Alas! I lost my phone
9. Using informal interjections everywhere
❌ Hey! Please submit the assignment
✅ Please submit the assignment.
10. Repeating interjection unnecessarily
❌ Oh oh! I made a mistake
✅ Oh! I made a mistake
Interjection Quiz — Pick the Interjection
10 questions. Choose the correct Interjection.