Psst... you there! Yeah, you! Have you ever heard of interjections? Even if you aren't aware of them, you probably use them all the time. In fact, the first word you read is an example of one!
Interjections are a useful part of English grammar as they can help to express or strengthen our emotions or reactions.
Interjections Definition
Interjections are words that are used to express impulsive or unplanned emotions or reactions. They are often short, snappy remarks that are used to express what someone is feeling at the current moment. For example, if you are shocked or surprised by something, you may say:
Fig. 1 - Wow is an example of an interjection.
Types of Interjections
Before we look at specific types, it is important to know that interjections can be broken down into two categories:
1. Primary interjections
2. Secondary interjections
Let's look at the difference between the two:
Primary interjections refer to words that only function as interjections, and don't have other alternate meanings. Examples include: ouch, hmm, oops, woo.
On the other hand, secondary interjections are words that already have other meanings and already belong to a certain word class but can also function as interjections. Examples include: damn, oh my God, oh boy, congrats.
There are three specific types of interjections. These are as follows:
1. Volitive
2. Emotive
3. Cognitive
Let's take a look at each of these in more detail.
Volitive Interjections
Volitive interjections refer to imperatives that command or request someone to do something. For example:
"Shh" is used to tell someone to be quiet.
"Shoo" tells someone to go away.
"Boo" is used to scare someone.
Emotive Interjections
Emotive interjections are used to express different emotions, such as surprise, excitement, anger, disgust, fear, etc. For example:
"Wow" can be used to show surprise.
"Yay" can be used to express excitement.
"Grr" can be used to show anger.
"Eww" can be used to express disgust.
"Ahh" can be used to show fear.
Interjections of Surprise
As the title suggests, interjections of surprise (a type of emotive interjection) are used when expressing a feeling of surprise. Interjections of surprise are perhaps some of the most commonly used interjections, as we often react spontaneously when scared or shocked and end up blurting out words or noises!
Some interjections of surprise include:
wow
woah
woo
oh my
oh my gosh
ooh
eek
ahh
Fig 2. Surprise can be interpreted in different ways; either related to fear, shock, or excitement.
Cognitive Interjections
Cognitive interjections are related to information and knowledge. They are used to show understanding, a reaction to information, or a thought process. For example:
If someone tells you about an accident they had or a mistake they made, you could respond with "uh oh," which is used when you realize something bad has happened.
If someone is telling you something you already know, you could respond with "duh," which is often used to suggest that something is obvious or indicates sarcasm.
Onomatopoeia is sometimes considered a type of interjection (though some may disagree).
Onomatopoeia refers to words that express the sound of something. For example:
- Crash
- Bang
- Clap
- Boing
- Pitter patter
Onomatopoeia is often used to create imagery, helping the reader gain a deeper understanding of certain sounds and the words that represent them.
Interjections Grammar
Here are just a few things to keep in mind when using interjections:
1. If the interjection makes its own one-word sentence, make sure to use the correct punctuation after it (this could be a period, an exclamation mark, or a question mark). For example, "Yay! I'm so happy for you!"
2. If the interjection is at the start of a sentence, place a comma or hyphen after it. For example, "Shh, my brother's asleep."
3. If the interjection is in the middle of a sentence, commas, brackets, or hyphens can be placed on either side of it. For example, "I broke my arm (ouch!) and I can't move it."
It is also important to be aware that interjections are not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence. Because of this, they are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence; they simply add extra information about the feelings of someone/something. For example, take the sentence:
"Eww, I hate peas."
The interjection "eww" emphasizes a feeling of disgust. Without it, the sentence would read:
"I hate peas."
As the interjection does not alter the grammatical meaning, the sentence still makes sense without it. We still know that the person hates peas, but there is less emphasis placed on this hatred.
Interjections Examples
Check out some more examples of the different types of interjections below:
| Volitive Interjections | Emotive Interjections | Cognitive Interjections |
| Shh/hush (be quiet) | Wow/woah (surprise) | Uh oh (something bad happened) |
| Shoo (go away) | Yay (excitement) | Duh (something is obvious) |
| Boo (used to scare someone) | Grr (anger) | Ohh/Ahh (realization) |
| Psst (gets someone's attention) | Eww/ugh (disgust) | Oh no (something bad happened) |
| Please (making a polite request) | Humph (doubt/disapproval) | Oops/whoops (made a mistake) |
| Ahem (gets someone's attention) | Ooh (intrigue) | Um/uh (pausing to think) |
| Tut tut (shaming someone) | Ahh (fear) | Hmm (thinking) |
| Cheers (toasting to someone) | Aww (reacting to something cute) | Bingo (something is correct) |
| Enough (gets someone to stop doing something) | Huh? (confusion) | Phew (relieved that things are okay) |
Certain interjections can be interpreted in different ways and can be used for more than one reason (both positively and negatively). For example, depending on what someone is feeling, "ahh" can either express fear, excitement, or a realization.
Dialogue with Interjections
Below is an example of a conversation with interjections. As you read through the example, identify the interjections and think about whether or not they change the way you interpret the meaning of the dialogue. Do you think the interjections strengthen the emotions expressed?
Speaker 1: Hey, how are you? I've been so busy the past couple of weeks, ugh!
Speaker 2: I'm doing good thank you! Ah really, what have you been up to?
Speaker 1: Just been working non-stop. Oh, and my car broke down.
Speaker 2: Oh no! Hopefully, your car will be fixed soon, and you'll have a better week next week. I mean, things can only get better from here, right?
Speaker 1: Shh, don't say that; you'll jinx it!
Speaker 2: Oops, sorry!
All of the interjections used in the above dialogue are:
Interjections - Key takeaways
- Interjections are used to express impulsive or unplanned emotions or reactions.
- Interjections are often short, snappy remarks that express what someone is feeling at the current moment.
- Interjections are not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence, so they are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
- The three types of interjections are volitive, emotive, and cognitive. Onomatopoeia is sometimes considered a type of interjection, though not always.
- Certain interjections can be interpreted in different ways and can be used for more than one reason (both positively and negatively).
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