NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

Which word type is defined as expressing emotion, such as "Oh" or "Wow"?

1. Interjection

2. Pronoun

3. Adverb

4. Adjective

The correct answer is: Interjection

The word type that expresses emotion is known as an interjection. Interjections are words or phrases that convey strong feelings or reactions, often standing alone and not necessarily fitting within the grammatical structure of a sentence. For example, words like "Oh," "Wow," "Hey," or "Yikes" indicate surprise, joy, or frustration. They serve to convey the speaker's immediate emotional response to a situation rather than modifying other elements of a sentence or acting as a subject or object. In contrast, other word types such as pronouns, adverbs, and adjectives serve different grammatical functions. Pronouns replace nouns in sentences to avoid repetition; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often providing information about how, when, or where an action occurs; and adjectives describe or modify nouns, providing details about their qualities or characteristics. These functions do not involve the direct expression of emotion that interjections specifically address.