Interjections - Definition, Usage and Examples

In the English language, among the different parts of speech, interjections are the most used in everyday communication. This article will provide you with all the information regarding interjections, their meaning, definition and also examples to help you understand clearly.

Table of Contents

• What Are Interjections?
  • Definition of an Interjection
• Examples of Interjections
  • List of Interjections for Everyday Communication
• How and When to Use Interjections?
• Test Your Understanding of Interjections
• Frequently Asked Questions on Interjections in English

What Are Interjections?

Interjection are a part of speech used to convey or express sudden feelings and emotions. There are no particular rules as to where interjections should be placed in a sentence, but most often, they are seen to appear in the beginning of a sentence. They are used to form exclamatory sentences. In order to develop a clearer idea of what interjections are exactly, take a look at how different dictionaries define an interjection.

Definition of an Interjection

An interjection, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a short sound, word or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines an interjection as “a word that is used to show a short sudden expression of emotion.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an interjection is defined as “a word or phrase used in exclamation” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, an interjection is “a word or phrase used for expressing a strong emotion such as surprise or anger.” The Collins Dictionary defines an interjection as “a word or expression which you use to express a strong feeling such as surprise, pain, or horror.”

Examples of Interjections

Here are some examples of interjections to show you how they can be used in sentences effectively.

• Hurray! We won the match.
• Ouch! That really hurt badly.
• Wow! That is a beautiful dress indeed.
• Oh my God! That was unexpected.
• Whoa! That guy is unbelievably huge.

List of Interjections for Everyday Communication

Now, here is a list of interjections that you can use in your daily communication.

How and When to Use Interjections?

When using interjections, there are some very important punctuation rules that you should keep in mind. Given below are the points you have to remember.

• When a short interjection is used in the beginning of a sentence, it should be followed by a comma.
• When an interjection forms a sentence by itself, the interjection can be followed by a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
• When an interjection is used in the middle of a sentence, the interjection has to be preceded and followed by a comma.
• In a conversation, interjections are sometimes allowed to stand alone.
• It is better if you do not use too many or any interjections in a formal context.

Test Your Understanding of Interjections

Fill in the blanks with the most suitable interjection in the following sentences.

(Ouch, yippee, bravo, alas, my God, well, uh, ah, wow, oh no)

1. ______, that is new!

2. ______ That hurt me more than I thought it would.

3. ______ We got the tickets to the movie premier night.

4. ______ I don’t want to do it this way.

5. ______ You did a really great job with that piece of furniture.

6. ______ now I understand what you were trying to say.

7. ______ That should have really upset you.

8. ______ I have not cleared the internal assessment.

9. ______ That was a really brave thing to do.

10. _______ The waiting list for the reservation seats is too long; I don’t think we would get a seat.

Check out if you have filled in the blanks with the right interjections from the answers given below.

1. Well, that is new!

2. Ouch! That hurt me more than I thought it would.

3. Yippee! We got the tickets to the movie premier night.

4. Uh, I don’t want to do it this way.

5. Wow! You did a really great job with that piece of furniture.

6. Ah, now I understand what you were trying to say.

7. Oh no! That should have really upset you.

8. Alas! I have not cleared the internal assessment.

9. Bravo! That was a really brave thing to do.

10. My God! The waiting list for the reservation seats is too long; I don’t think we would get a seat.