Facts, doubts, demands – in language and in the text
you will understand various messages: verbal and non‑verbal
you will use statements based on attitude and intentions
you will define the intentions of the sender
you will distinguish and use verb moodsverb moods in the speech
you will point out the exclamationexclamation marks and particlesparticles that communicate the sender's intentions
We already know that we can mark different attitudes and feelings in the text using punctuationpunctuation. If we include information without emotions, we end the sentence with a dot. When in turn we have some doubtsdoubts or we want to learn something, we use sentences ending with a question mark. And if we want the message to be full of emotions or the recipient to react more strongly to it, we choose an exclamation mark. These statements have not only different emotional tones but, above all, reveal various attitudes and intentions of the senders. Three types of sentences (declarativedeclarative, interrogative or exclamatory) indicate various attitudes of the author of the text to the matters which the author describes and, in a way, the author's attitude towards the recipientrecipient.
Write down the examples of sentences with various intentions. Think about information, demand, appreciation, warning, advice, judgment etc.
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
- Write down text here
Define the type of the task. Move and drop items to the right places.
Tomorrow it will snow from east to the west., I would do it if I had more time., Do not waste time! Run with us!, Could you describe it better?, Only have a look! There is a lot of snow!, We will be cleaning up from morning till evening., Will Janek come back before 8.00?
| statement | |
|---|---|
| question | |
| exclamation |
The character of the expression can be changed by means of punctuation placed at the end of the sentence, intonation or the verb modes which express the speaker's attitude to actions and states. When we talk about facts and provide proven information we use the forms of the declarative mooddeclarative mood (eg I saw, I walked, I learned). When we want to warn someone against something, to order something or express objection – then we use the forms of the imperative moodimperative mood (eg watch out, do, do not disturb). Finally, we use the subjunctive moodsubjunctive mood to express any doubts or suppositionsupposition (eg I would notice, it would have flooded, I would win).
Put sentences in the right place in the table. Pay attention to the information in the right and left column, i.e. the type of sender's mode and intentions. Drag and drop items to the right places.
advice, information, demand, assumption, warning, judgment, supposition, hypothesis, imperative mood, declarative mode, imperative mood, subjunctive mood, imperative mode, declarative mood, declarative mood, subjunctive mood
| Intention | Example of sentence | Type of mode |
|---|---|---|
| advice | imperative mood | |
| information | declarative mode | |
| demand | imperative mood | |
| assumption | subjunctive mood | |
| warning | imperative mode | |
| judgment | declarative mood | |
| supposition | declarative mood | |
| hypothesis | subjunctive mood |
Transform the form of the highlighted verb mode according to the example and complete the following sentences in Polish language. How do the communication intentions change in the sentences?
1. Model: Last week John read a book. (declarative mood)
Last week John .................... a book if he had more time. (subjunctive mood)
John, ............ a book. (imperative mood).
2. Model: Listen, let's go to the mountains tomorrow! (imperative mood)
We ................ to the mountains if the weather was nice. (subjunctive mood)
Tomorrow we .............. to the mountains tomorrow. (declarative mood)
3. Model: We have some free time, so let's go to this movie. (imperative mood)
If we had some free time, we ................ to this movie. (subjunctive mood)
We have some free time, so we .............. to this movie. (declarative mood)
About facts, assumptions or firm attitudes directed towards someone (order – warning – threat) is also read out from the meanings of words that we find in the statement. It can be said that they enclose the most important thought and sometimes change the style of the entire message. Some of the following can be used for that:
adverbs, e.g. immediately, indisputably
adjectives, e.g. irrefutable, undeniable, important
exclamations, e.g. oh !, hello!
particles, e.g. supposedly, certainly, of course
Exclamations
A sentence without an exclamation mark | A sentence with additional attitudes – expressed by means of exclamation |
Be careful, please. I have won the contest. | Hello! Be careful, please! – emotional warning against something Oh! I have won the contest! –positive feelings and surprise |
Particles
A sentence without a particle | A sentence with additional attitudes – expressed by means of particles |
We will come tomorrow. | We will certainly come tomorrow. – certainty We will not come tomorrow. – negation We will come tomorrow though. – confirmation We will rather come tomorrow. – content weakening |
Match the appropriate words and read the whole definition.
particles, exclamation, express, emotions, exclamations, deny
Parts of speech, with the help of which we express ........................ ("we shout emotions"); often written with an ........................ point at the end (hence their name: „hejże!”, „ale”, „ale!”, „ojej!") are .........................
Parts of speech, by means of which we ........................ ("no") in our sentences, strengthen the content („-że”, „z pewnością”, „na pewno”) or we weaken it („rzekomo”, „ponoć”), and even ........................ our wishes („bodaj”, „niech”, „niechże”), are .........................
Try to recognise the attitudes written in the meanings of words and divide the given words accordingly. Move and drop items to the right places:
undoubtedly, of course, usually, really, sure, supposedly, always, probably, more or less, presumably, possibly, maybe
| Words that appear in the text when we are dealing with certainty | |
|---|---|
| Words that appear in the text when we express doubts |
Keywords
imperative mood, subjunctive mood, declarative mood, communicative intentioncommunicative intention
Glossary
intencja komunikacyjna
tryb przypuszczający
tryb oznajmujący
tryb rozkazujący
przypuszczenie
żądanie
wątpliwość
wykrzyknienie
odbiorca
tryb czasownika
tu: partykuła
interpunkcja




