English Grammar: The Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech — Interjections

In English we have a number of words that are used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion. Words that serve this purpose are called interjections. The word interjection comes from two Latin words which mean to throw between. Interjections are really thrown into the sentence to express some type of emotion such as disgust, joy, excitement, enthusiasm, etc.

Interjections have no grammatical relation to any word or group of words in the sentence. In grammar we call words of this type independent elements. Sometimes words which are independent elements stand for an entire sentence. The following illustrations show the kinds of words that are commonly used as interjections:

Hey! Do you know where you're going? (Interjection is Hey.)

Oh, I can't believe that. (Interjection is Oh.)

Pshaw! Why did I do that? (Interjection is Pshaw.)

Alas! This is the end of everything! (Interjection is Alas.)

The words classified as interjections in the preceding illustrations are always interjections. In addition to such words, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech are often used as interjections.

Good! I'm glad to hear that.

Well! When are you going to pay that bill?

Heavens! We will never get to the party driving this slowly!

Some of the interjections that you use or hear in speech are not even words, although it is possible to represent the sounds expressed. A careful speaker or writer does not use interjections very often, especially expressions like the following:

Whew! What a day!

Um! This soup tastes good.

Humph! I knew that ages ago.