Choose the correct Assertive form of the following Exclamatory sentence:
How skilfully the mechanic repaired our water pump!
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The mechanic repaired our water pump very skilfully.
Exclamatory to assertive (How + adverb to very + adverb):
- An exclamatory sentence shows a strong feeling, such as joy, surprise or sorrow, and ends with an exclamation mark.
- An assertive sentence states a fact or an opinion and ends with a full stop.
| Change | Exclamatory | Assertive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening words | How skilfully | very skilfully (at the end) | “How skilfully” tells how the mechanic repaired the pump. In the assertive sentence, “How” becomes “very”, and “very skilfully” comes at the end. |
| Word order | the mechanic repaired our water pump | The mechanic repaired our water pump (first) | The subject and verb stay in normal order. |
| End mark | (!) | (.) | An assertive sentence ends with a full stop. |
| Full sentence | How skilfully the mechanic repaired our water pump! | The mechanic repaired our water pump very skilfully. |
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The mechanic repaired our water pump very skilful. — Incorrect. It changes the adverb “skilfully” to the adjective “skilful”. The word tells how the mechanic repaired the pump, so it must stay “skilfully”.
Option 2: The mechanic repairs our water pump very skilfully. — Incorrect. It changes “repaired” to “repairs”. The tense must stay the same.
Option 4: Did the mechanic repair our water pump very skilfully? — Incorrect. It is a question. It is not an assertive sentence.