Grammar basics
Interjections
An interjection is a short word that shows a strong or sudden feeling, like surprise, pain or happiness. You hear them a lot in spoken English.
What does an interjection do?
An interjection shows how you feel right now. It often comes at the start of a sentence.
- Wow, that code looks amazing!
- Oops, I deleted the wrong file.
How to write them
| Feeling | Punctuation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | exclamation mark ! | Ouch! That hurts! |
| Soft | comma , | Oh, I see. |
Thai has these too
Thai has many interjections, like อุ๊ย and โอ๊ย. English interjections work the same way. They make your speaking sound more natural and friendly.
Wow
Used when you are surprised or impressed.
Wow, your website looks great!
Oh
Used when you understand something or feel a little surprised.
Oh, now I understand the problem.
Ouch
Used when you feel sudden pain.
Ouch! I hit my foot on the desk.
Hey
Used to get someone's attention, or to say hello to a friend.
Hey, do you have a minute?
Oops
Used when you make a small mistake.
Oops, I sent the message to the wrong person.
Yay
Used when you are very happy about something.
Yay! All the tests passed!