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A declarative sentence is a statement that gives information or declares an opinion, as in I like cake.

Declarative sentences can be in past, present, or future verb tense, as in The builders finished the clubhouse yesterday.

Declarative sentences can also be any of the four types of sentences:

• Simple sentence: Cats purr.
• Compound sentence: The acrobats flipped and the clowns did cartwheels.
• Complex sentence: We have class inside when it rains.
• Compound-complex sentence: The rain poured and the lightning flashed as we ran for cover.

There are three other kinds of sentences. Interrogative sentences ask a question, as in Is Greg working today? Imperative sentences command or request something, as in Greg, work today, while exclamatory sentences express strong emotions, such as excitement or fear, as in Greg is working today!

Declarative sentences fill a role that the other three kinds do not, making a statement. Declarative sentences end in a period and do not request information, give commands, or express emotions.

The phrase declarative sentence has been used since at least 1799, but the sentences themselves have been used even in ancient languages. The phrase declarative sentence combines the word declarative, meaning to declare something or make something known, and the word sentence, a group of words that express an independent thought. Declarative sentences declare information or a person’s opinion.

We often use declarative sentences to make statements and express factual information, as in The ancient Egyptians built pyramids. However, we can also use declarative sentences to state an opinion that may or may not be true, as in I think we will meet aliens one day.

Declarative sentences are the most commonly used of the four sentence types.

Here are more examples of a variety of declarative sentences:

• Birds fly.
• That expensive statue looks like something my son could have made in art class.
• We have been working on this project for weeks, but I don’t think we have made any real progress.
• Looking back on it, the old warrior couldn’t decide if everything he had done had been worth the effort.

Declarative sentences are the most common kind of sentences that we use.

Write short simple declarative sentences, using active verbs and a minimum of adjectives and adverbs.

— Mark Colvin (@Colvinius)

If you want to sound important, simply say "behold" at the beginning of your declarative sentences.

— broseph chillaxton (@SadsquatchPDX)

• sentence
• statement
• interrogative sentence
• imperative
• exclamatory

Which of the following is a declarative sentence?

A. Take the dog for a walk.
B. I took the dog for a walk.
C. Did you take the dog for a walk?
D. I took the dog for a walk!