An interjection, also known as an exclamation, is a word, phrase, or sound used to convey an emotion such as surprise, excitement, happiness, or anger. Interjections are very common in spoken English, but they appear in written English as well. Capable of standing alone, they are grammatically unrelated to any other part of a sentence.
Primary Interjections Primary interjections are interjections that are single words derived not from any other word class, but from sounds. Nonetheless, primary interjections do have widely recognized meaning. Some common primary interjections are:
Primary Interjection Emotion
aah fear
aha triumph, a sudden understanding
argh frustration
brr being cold
eww disgust
grr anger
hmm thinking
ooh amazement, being impressed
phew relief
yay approval, happiness
Secondary Interjections
Secondary interjections are interjections derived from words that do belong to other word classes—they may be adjectives, nouns, or entire clauses. Again, they have nothing to do with the grammar of the sentences that come before or after them. Some common secondary interjections are:
bless you
#congratulations
#good grief
#hell
#oh
#my oh my God
#oh well
#shoot well
#what Curse words (vulgar or offensive words; also called swear words) are also considered interjections when they are not linked grammatically with another part of a sentence.
Sentence Placement Interjections are more commonly used in speech; however, we sometimes do need to express them through writing, especially if we are trying to capture dialogue. Usually, the interjection is placed before the sentence that explains the cause of the emotion. For example
• “Ooh, that’s a beautiful dress.”
• “Brr, it’s freezing in here!”
• “Oh my God! We’ve won!”
• “Wow! What a great achievement!”
