Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

What type of sentence is defined as making a statement?

1. A declarative sentence

2. An interrogative sentence

3. An imperative sentence

4. An exclamatory sentence

The correct answer is: A declarative sentence

A declarative sentence is designed to make a statement that provides information or expresses an idea clearly and straightforwardly. These sentences typically end with a period and can convey facts, opinions, or descriptions. For example, "The sky is blue" is a declarative sentence because it is presenting information. In contrast, interrogative sentences are used to ask questions, imperative sentences give commands or requests, and exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or exclamations. Each of those sentence types serves a distinct function, which differentiates them from declarative sentences. Therefore, the statement that the question refers to is most accurately characterized as a declarative sentence.