I.

Introduction

Wow! Yuck!

Yeah Aww

Are you familiar with these words? What do you call them? Even if you
don’t know what to call these words, I bet you already used and uttered them. The
words above are called Interjections.
In this part, we will define what interjection is, its types and uses, and we
will also provide you with some examples.

II. Interjections
An interjection is a word or phrase used to express a feeling or to request or
demand something. It comes from the Latin words inter (between) and jacĕre (to
throw). Therefore, an interjection is a word that you throw in between sentences
or thoughts to express a sudden feeling. While interjections are a part of speech,
they are not grammatically connected to other parts of a sentence. Interjections are
common in everyday speech and informal writing. Yikes, uh-oh, ugh, oh boy, and
ouch are common examples of interjections.
Key points:

*is a part of speech that creates informal sounds, words or phrases that express
feelings or emotions.
*functions independently in a sentence
*they are not grammatically connected or do not have a relation to other parts of a
sentence
*some of them are not even actual words
*usually cannot be modified or inflected.
*it is highly context-sensitive.

III. Rules
Seven (7) Rules in using Interjection

Rule No. 1: It’s OK to use interjections alone

The first thing to keep in mind is that, when utilized alone, interjections can
create grammatical sentences that end in a full stop, an exclamation point, or a
question mark.

Example.
Oh no! I think she’s late again.
What? I don’t think that’s right.

Rule No. 2: Understand their flexible distribution

Interjections may be utilized in various places in a sentence, generally where

one phrase function (subject, object, etc.) stops and another one begins.

Example.
Uh-Oh, I forgot my umbrella. ✓✓
I (uh-oh) forgot my umbrella. ✓?
I forgot (uh-oh) my umbrella. ✓?
I forgot my (uh-oh) umbrella. ?X
I forgot my umbrella – uh-oh. ✓✓

Rule No. 3: Remember to punctuate correctly

Interjections need to be punctuated correctly. To ensure proper use, you can

follow these four instructions:

a. If the interjection forms a sentence alone, follow it with a full stop, question or
exclamation mark.
Example.
Wow! Taylor Swift is so amazing.

b. If the interjection comes at the start of a sentence, follow it with a comma or a

hyphen.
Example.
Wow, Lisa is an excellent dancer.

c.  If the interjection appears within a sentence, surround it with commas, brackets
or hyphens.
Example.
Isn’t it – wow – amazing?

d. If the interjection comes at the end of a sentence, precede it with a comma or a

hyphen.
Example.
Jennie is really pretty, wow.

Rule No. 4: Use exclamation marks to show emphasis

 Exclamation points (!) may also be used with interjections to demonstrate
emphasis, whilst question marks (?) are used to denote a questioning or
uncertainty.
Example.
The word “wow!” demonstrates more surprise than “wow”.

Rule No. 5: Interjections can have multiple collocations

Remembering that not all interjections are one word long is another crucial
rule. Moreover, some interjections may combine (collocate) with other words. The
following tables show how the addition of various collocations can either
dramatically change the meaning of the interjection or convey the same emotion as
the original interjection:

Example.

Rule No. 6: Interjection can have multiple meanings

Even one-word interjections such as "ah" might indicate different things
depending on the statement they refer to.
Example.

Rule No. 7: Avoid formal contexts

Lastly, a rule that is crucial for students is that interjections shouldn't ever be
utilized in writing that is intended to be highly formal. Academic language is well
known for being objective, scientific, evident, and straightforward, whereas
interjections like "boo" or "eek" are simply not. These kinds of emotive terms
should not be used in academic discourse and will harm your grade if they are
used.

IV. Functions and Uses of Interjections

 Interjections are words that you can use to express a strong sense of
emotion or feelings, such as happiness, fear, anger, pain, surprise, sorrow,
exhaustion or even hesitation.

V. Types of Interjection
1. Primary Interjection
- a word or sound that may only be utilized as an interjection. Primary
interjections have no secondary meanings and therefore cannot function as another
part of speech (i.e., noun, verb, or adjective).
Primary interjections are generally just sounds with no apparent etymology.
As a result, while they occasionally have standard spellings, a single interjection
can be written in a variety of ways.
Example:
1. Aw! What he did to Ms. Ramos was really sweet.
2. You scared me, Ladilyn. Geez!
3. Hmm! Your adobo smells good, Hassel.

2. Secondary Interjection
- a word that is normally used as another part of speech (such as a noun,
verb, or adjective) but can also be used as an interjection.
Example:
1. Man, what a shame that Grade 7 students didn’t win.
2. Goodness! What were you thinking?
3. Shoot! I am late for my English class with Ms. Gabas.

3. Volitive Interjection
- to issue a command or make a request.
Example
1. Shush. Everything will be alright, so stop crying, Vincent.
2. Ahem! People at the back you’re not listening.
3. Shh. You will wake her up.

4. Emotive Interjection
- used to express a feeling or show a response to something. Expletives,
often known as curse words, are frequently used as emotive interjections to
indicate impatience or displeasure (in informal contexts).
Example:
 1. Yuck! That’s gross. I will never eat isaw.
2. Yay! We’re going to see our grades in Science.
3. Ouch! The ball hit my leg.
5. Cognitive Interjection
- used to indicate a cognitive process or to express an idea.
Example:
1. Bingo! The Grade 8 students got it right.
2. Um, what were you saying again, 7 Rizal?
3. Wow! That was amazing.
6. Greetings and parting words
- are interjections used as a way to welcome or acknowledge an
individual or to wish them well at the end of a conversation.
Example:
1. Good morning!
2. Hi! What can I do for you, my dear students?
3. Bye!

VI. Examples of Interjections

Interjection Meaning
Aah Exclamation of fear
Ahh Realization or acceptance
Aww Something sweet or cute
Bingo Acknowledge something as right
Eh Question something
Eww Something disgusting
Hmph To indicate displeasure
Oh I see/ I think
Oops Making a mistake
Ouch Exclamation of pain
Shh An indication for silence
Uh oh Showing dismay
Whew Amazement and/or relief
Wow Expressing surprise or admiration
Yay/Yaay Congratulatory exclamation
Yeah Variant of ‘yes’
Yikes For fear or concern (not serious)
Yippee Exclamation of celebration

VII. Example Sentences

1. Ahh! Gian, you scared me! (fear)
2. Ahh, I get it! (realization)
3. Aww! Your dog is really cute. (something cute)
4. Bingo! You are right. (acknowledge something as right)
5. Eh? Are you sure that Darna is the strongest hero? (doubt)
6. Eww, that’s gross. (disgust)
7, Hmph, shut up. (displeasure)
8. Oh, okay. (approval)
9. Oops! It’s not my intention to drop it. (mistake)
10. Ouch! Stop that. (pain)
11. Shh! Listen to me first. (silence)
12. Uh oh! I don’t like that. (dismay)
13. Whew! Cardo did it. (relief)
14. Wow! Anne Curtis is so beautiful. (admiration)
15. Yay! We won! (celebrating)
16. Yeah, Bulacan is a great province. (variant of yes)
17. Yikes! I forgot my assignment in Science! (for fear or concern, not serious)
18. Yippee! We won! (exclamation of celebration)

VIII. Remember
Interjections are common in everyday speech and informal writing. They are
interesting to use, especially that they can properly show and convey our emotions.
However, we must still remember that they are not appropriate to use in a formal
setting. Although interjections such as “well” and “indeed” are acceptable in
formal conversation, most interjections are informal and it’s best if we will avoid
using them in a formal conversation or in our essays and other academic writing.