Volitive Interjections

What are Volitive Interjections?

Volitive interjections are interjections that express requests or commands. It’s one of the types of interjections classified according to function and not structure. A volitive interjection is also used when a response or subsequent action is expected from the person to whom it is addressed. The word “hey,” for example, isn’t a request or command by nature, but it prompts the addressee to pay attention. Some primary and secondary interjections are volitive.

Here are some examples of volitive interjections in sentences:

• Come, I’d like to show you something in the backyard.
• I still have one more piece of luggage to pack. Wait!
• Ey, can I talk to you for a second?
• Oy, come look at this sick view!
• Quiet! I think I hear something outside the tent.

Volitive Interjections Rules

Volitive interjections are common in speaking. As they are used to convey reactions to intense feelings, their usage is often immediate or automatic. Grammatically, they possess no value and can be used freely in speech. Whatever rules govern them are related to how and when they’re written: spelling, punctuation, and purpose. Here are the general guidelines:

Rules	Explanation/Example
Formal vs Informal Writing	Academic and professional writing are devoid of interjections. They shouldn’t appear in school or business documents such as contracts, evaluation reports, research papers, and so on. Interjections may be allowed in low-key business letters like email replies or customer care letters if the company has an easygoing culture or if employees are generally amiable toward each other, but using interjections in highly formal writing is largely considered incompetent and unprofessional. Interjections, however, are used liberally across different forms of creative writing, including essays and marketing copy.
Interjections within sentences	We normally find interjections at the start or end of sentences, but in creative writing, they can also be placed in the middle. In this case, however, they should be enclosed in commas, dashes, or parentheses. Moreover, they should be inserted in the proper sentence breaks. For example: – It should be pointed out (ahem) that he’s the most good-looking person in class. – Don’t come any closer – stop! – or I’ll call the police! – If you scroll down to – shh, I’m on the phone – the bottom of the page, you’ll see it.
Punctuations	It’s sensible for interjections to be usually punctuated with exclamation points because they often indicate how someone reacts to intense emotion. But other punctuation marks can modify the intensity of the feeling behind an interjection. For example: – Comma (,): signifies a less intense reaction – Period (.): signifies a neutral reaction. – Question mark (?): signifies suspicion, ignorance, or curiosity.

Examples of Volitive Interjections

1. Ahem. Can I have a minute of your time?

2. We can still make it. Hurry!

3. Hey! I already told you not to play on the grass!

4. Listen, the idea is great but we still need to vote.

5. Why are these ducks following me? Shoo!

6. Don’t pick it up – oy! – what did I just say?

7. There! Just a little to the right of the top branch.

8. Enough! I’ve had it with the both of you.

9. We are not supposed to go in there. Stop.

10. Shh, maybe they’ll go away if we don’t answer.

11. That pole is about to fall – look out!

12. Someone give me a pen. Quick!

13. Quiet, I’m trying to watch the movie.

14. My sister screamed “Boo!” to scare Dad.

15. Easy, you might cut off the wire.

Volitive Interjections Exercises with Answers

Exercise on Volitive Interjections

This exercise will test how well you understand interjections. Complete each sentence by picking the correct primary interjection from the list.

enough      boo      shoo      quiet      oy      stop      encore      look      wait      psst

1. “____________!” The crowd cried out repeatedly until the musicians came back onstage.

2. You’re not supposed to be in here. ____________! Authorized personnel only!

3. ____________, we need to gather as many pledges as we can this month.

4. ____________, please. Some people aren’t done with the quiz.

5. This is the police. ____________! Stay right where you are.

6. A bunch of sheep is blocking the way. This looks crazy. ____________!

7. There she is, let’s move closer. ____________! Lisa! We are over here!

8. ____________! You’re not leaving without a doggy pack. We have so much food left over.

9. I knew Kyle was behind the door so I surprised him before he could say “____________!”

10. ____________! We’re quite tired of your constant excuses. This isn’t the first ten times.

Answers

1. “Encore!” The crowd cried out repeatedly until the musicians came back onstage.

2. You’re not supposed to be in here. Oy! Authorized personnel only!

3. Look, we need to gather as many pledges as we can this month.

4. Quiet, please. Some people aren’t done with the quiz.

5. This is the police. Stop! Stay right where you are.

6. A bunch of sheep is blocking the way. This looks crazy. Shoo!

7. There she is, let’s move closer. Psst! Lisa! We are over here!

8. Wait! You’re not leaving without a doggy pack. We have so much food left over.

9. I knew Kyle was behind the door so I surprised him before he could say “Boo!”

10. Enough! We’re quite tired of your constant excuses. This isn’t the first ten times.

Volitive Interjections List

Primary Volitive Interjections List

ahem
boo
ey
oy
psst
shh
shoo
yo

Secondary Volitive Interjections List

careful
come
easy
encore
enough
go
here
hey
hurry
hush
jump
listen
look
look out
please
quiet
quick
run
silence
slowly
stop
there
wait
watch out

Advice for ESL Students & English Language Learners

Interjections are a common part of speaking. Since they are ordinarily reactionary to whatever surge of emotion a person feels at the moment, interjections are not controlled by grammar rules. It’s in writing that some rules are followed somewhat strictly. For informal writing, where opinions or character development may be the goal, an author can include interjections when appropriate. However, some rules have to be followed. For example, applying appropriate punctuation, establishing proper and adequate context, and making sure they aren’t overused. Despite not being actual sentences, interjections can stand alone, but without sufficient details, they won’t make sense. In terms of formal writing, a casual or friendly type of communication between colleagues is most suitable in verbal interactions. Even if the workplace culture is laid back and easygoing, it’s still best practice to keep away from using interjections in corporate documents and correspondence overall.

Additionally, it is important for learners to properly understand emotive interjections and secondary interjections.

Common Errors Made by English Learners

Common Errors	Explanation/Examples
Stray Interjections	A common error is forgetting to use punctuation marks with interjections. Interjections should always have something that marks or distinguishes them from the rest of the sentence. For example: Without punctuation: – Yes, thanks for the heads up shh, can’t you see I’m on the phone yes, sorry, I’m still here. – Look at this point, we have to start finding shelter. With punctuation: – Yes, thanks for the heads up – shh, can’t you see I’m on the phone – yes, sorry, I’m still here. – Look, at this point, we have to start finding shelter.
Wrong Intensity	Interjections are reactions to unexpected swells of emotions, so they usually express powerful levels of joy, alarm, relief, surprise, rage, annoyance, haste, and so on. It makes sense that they are commonly punctuated with exclamation points. Nevertheless, other punctuation marks can be used to modify an interjection’s intensity. A comma can tone it down, and a period can neutralize it. A question mark can express ignorance, curiosity, or suspicion. Dashes, ellipses, and parentheses can simulate the appearance of a commentary or a side note and can work well as a device for contradiction or entertainment. Keep in mind the level of emotion you want to highlight in your writing and punctuate them properly to maximize their effectiveness.
Unnecessary Interjections	Well-written dialogues make creative or fiction writing more engaging and full-bodied. But while interjections are used to boost the literary value of exchanges between characters, it’s arguably more important to make them sound realistic. Dialogues that are heavily filled with interjections can feel forced, exaggerated, or off-putting. It’s a habit for many writers to read their writing aloud to make their characters natural. Remember that there’s no actual need to use interjections, so remove them if it’s necessary to do so or if they don’t provide added value to your writing. Moreover, interjections are literary devices to differentiate your characters from each other or to solidify their unique personalities. For example, a character who says um a lot may depict someone with low self-confidence, while a character who uses strong interjections can display an affected or pompous personality.

Learning Strategies and Best Practices with Volitive Interjections

Here are some key takeaways from this article about volitive interjections.

1. Volitive Interjections don’t take part in any grammatical framework. Indeed, they can serve as highlights to powerful emotions or strong opinions, but excluding them from your writing won’t significantly affect the meaning of your sentences.
2. Primary interjections such as ahem or psst don’t necessarily indicate commands or requests, but they fall under the second type of volitive interjections, which prompts action from the person being addressed. Both examples are used to make the addressee pay attention.
3. The internet provides a huge platform for languages. These days short forms are prolific online and in telecommunications. Words like W8, BRB, L8r, and many others may not be so widespread in most forms of writing, but they are everywhere in text messages, social media posts, and chatrooms.
4. When people are in a hurry, they don’t feel particularly keen on giving answers longer than a single word and use actual parts of speech to reply fast. These are considered interjections and the most volitive interjections are hurry. stop, wait, quiet, look, and listen.
5. In writing, ensure that the interjections you use are faithful to your characters. A young character, for example, may not use expressions such as “dear heavens”, “uppsy daisy”, “holy moly,” and so on. In the same thread, a 60-year-old protagonist probably won’t use BRB to let you know that you should wait.

Interjections Frequently Asked Questions