In the English language, there are four main types of sentences namely declarative sentences, imperative sentences, interrogative sentences and exclamatory sentences. However, there are other types of sentences such as conditional sentences and optative sentences. In this article, you will be introduced to what optative sentences are, its meaning, definition and usage. Furthermore, you can go through the examples of optative sentences given in the article to understand how it is formed and used.
Table of Contents
- What Is an Optative Sentence? – Meaning and Definition
- Forming and Using Optative Sentences – Points to Remember
- Examples of Optative Sentences
- Frequently Asked Questions on Optative Sentences in English
What Is an Optative Sentence? – Meaning and Definition
An optative sentence generally expresses a wish or prayer for someone known or unknown and also to wish them luck. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an optative sentence is one “constituting a verbal mood that is expressive of wish or desire”, according to the Collins Dictionary, an optative sentence is defined as a sentence “indicating or expressing choice, preference, or wish”.
Forming and Using Optative Sentences – Points to Remember
Optative sentences are normally seen to start with verbs such as ‘may’, ‘wish’, ‘let’ or ‘have’. They can also be sentences wishing someone on a special occasion such as ‘Happy birthday’. As far as the punctuation of optative sentences is concerned, they are seen to usually begin with a capital letter and end with an exclamation mark. However, in some rare cases, they can also be seen to end with a full stop.
Examples of Optative Sentences
Given below are some examples of optative sentences for you to understand more clearly.
- Happy Journey!
- May you be blessed with a good job.
- Wish you a wonderful day.
- May you succeed in all your endeavours.
- Let the world be a peaceful place.
- Wish you many more returns of the day.
- Happy Birthday!
- All the best!
- Best wishes!
- Good luck!
- All the best for your exams.
- Long live the Queen!
- May God bless you.
- Get well soon!
- Wish you a happy married life.
- Happy anniversary!
- Let the celebrations begin!
- Have a great day!
- Have a happy and prosperous life!
- May God have mercy on you!
- May your mother recover.
- May God’s will be done!
- Wish you a long life!
- May all your wishes come true!
- Wish you a happy journey!
For more examples of optative sentences, check out the article on optative sentence examples.
Frequently Asked Questions on Optative Sentences in English
What is an optative sentence?
An optative sentence can generally be explained as a sentence that expresses a wish or prayer for someone known or unknown and also to wish them luck.
What is the definition of an optative sentence?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an optative sentence is one “constituting a verbal mood that is expressive of wish or desire”, according to the Collins Dictionary, an optative sentence is defined as a sentence “indicating or expressing choice, preference, or wish”.
How are optative sentences formed?
Optative sentences are normally seen to start with verbs such as ‘may’, ‘wish’, ‘let’ or ‘have’. They can also be sentences wishing someone on a special occasion such as ‘Happy birthday’.
Give ten examples of optative sentences.
Given below are 10 examples of optative sentences for your reference. Check them out.
- May you be blessed with a good job.
- Wish you a wonderful day.
- May you succeed in all your endeavours.
- Let the world be a peaceful place.
- Wish you many more returns of the day.
- Have a great day!
- Have a happy and prosperous life!
- May God have mercy on you!
- May your mother recover.
- May God’s will be done!
