Interjections in English : complete course

What Is an Interjection?

An interjection is a word or short phrase that expresses a strong feeling or reaction. It is used to show emotions like surprise, joy, pain, or excitement. Interjections are very common in spoken English and in informal writing.

Simple Examples to Illustrate

• Wow! That is a beautiful painting.
• Ouch! I hurt my finger.
• Hey! Come over here.
• Oh no! I forgot my keys.

As you can see, interjections usually appear at the beginning of a sentence. They are often followed by an exclamation mark (!), a comma, or a period.

The Main Elements of Interjections in English

Interjections can express many different feelings. Let us look at the main categories.

1. Interjections That Express Surprise

These words are used when something unexpected happens.

• Wow! You cooked all of this yourself?
• Oh! I did not know you were here.
• Really? That is hard to believe!

2. Interjections That Express Pain or Discomfort

These are short reactions to physical or emotional pain.

• Ouch! That injection really hurt.
• Ow! I bumped my knee on the table.
• Ugh! This soup tastes terrible.

3. Interjections That Express Greetings or Attention

Some interjections are used to greet people or to get someone’s attention.

• Hi! How are you today?
• Hey! Wait for me!
• Hello! Is anyone home?

4. Interjections That Express Agreement or Disagreement

These interjections show whether you agree or disagree with something.

• Yeah! That is a great idea.
• Nope. I do not think so.
• Absolutely! You are completely right.

Why Interjections in English Are Important

You might wonder: do I really need to learn interjections? The answer is yes! Here is why.

• They make your English sound more natural and fluent.
• They help you express your emotions quickly and clearly.
• They are used every day in conversations, movies, songs, and social media.
• Understanding them helps you follow conversations with native speakers more easily.

If someone says ‘Oops! I made a mistake,’ and you do not know the word ‘oops,’ you might not understand the tone of the sentence. Learning interjections helps you understand the full meaning of what people say.

Comparison with Other Languages

Interjections exist in every language, but they are not always the same. Let us compare French, Spanish, and English.

As you can see, some interjections look or sound similar across languages, like ‘Oh!’ But others are very different. This is why it is important to learn the interjections that are natural in English, rather than just translating from your own language.

A Complete Example

Here is a short conversation that uses several interjections. Try to identify each one and the emotion it expresses.

Anna: Hey! Did you see the new film last night?

Tom: Oh! Yes, I did. Wow, it was so good!

Anna: Really? I heard it was a bit long.

Tom: Hmm, maybe. But the story was amazing.

Anna: Oops! I have to go now. Talk later!

Tom: Sure! Bye!

• Hey – used to get attention
• Oh – mild surprise or reaction
• Wow – strong positive surprise
• Really – surprise or disbelief
• Hmm – hesitation or thinking
• Oops – a small mistake or sudden realisation
• Sure – agreement

Key Points to Remember

• An interjection is a word or short phrase that expresses an emotion or reaction.
• Interjections are usually placed at the beginning of a sentence.
• They are followed by an exclamation mark, a comma, or a period.
• They can express surprise, pain, greeting, agreement, or disagreement.
• Interjections are very common in spoken English and informal writing.
• They are not always the same in different languages, so it is important to learn the English ones directly.

Sources

• Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., and Svartvik, J. (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman.
• Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.
• Huddleston, R. and Pullum, G. K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press.