Interjections for Kids: Wow, Oops and Hooray! (Grade 5 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Wow! Oops! Hooray! These little words burst with feeling. They are called interjections, and today we will learn how they work and how to punctuate them.

An interjection is a word or short phrase that shows a sudden feeling, like surprise, joy, pain or disgust. It is not connected to the grammar of the rest of the sentence.

Different interjections show different feelings. Hooray shows joy. Ouch shows pain. Yuck shows disgust. Oops shows a small mistake. Hmm shows you are thinking about something.

When the feeling is strong, use an exclamation point. The interjection can stand alone as its own sentence. Ouch! I stubbed my toe. Hooray! We won the game.

When the feeling is mild, use a comma and keep it in the same sentence. Oh, I forgot my lunch. Well, maybe we can try again tomorrow.

Interjections are great in stories and in conversations, but use them only now and then. Too many make writing sound noisy. In school reports and formal letters, leave them out.

Now it's your turn. You open a gift and find the puppy you always wanted. Which interjection fits best: yuck, ouch or wow? Pause and try. Wow fits best, because it shows happy surprise. Wow! A puppy!

Great job! Interjections show sudden feelings. Use an exclamation point for strong feelings and a comma for mild ones, and do not overuse them. Practice interjections in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!