Choose the correct Assertive form of the following Exclamatory sentence:
What a pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped bearing fruit!
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → It is a great pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped bearing fruit.
Exclamatory to assertive (“What a pity” to “It is a great pity”):
- 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 | What a pity | It is a great pity | “What a pity that ...” shows sorrow. In the assertive sentence, “What a pity” becomes “It is a great pity”. |
| End mark | (!) | (.) | An assertive sentence ends with a full stop. |
| Full sentence | What a pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped bearing fruit! | It is a great pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped bearing fruit. |
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: It is a great pity that the mango tree in our courtyard had stopped bearing fruit. — Incorrect. It changes “has stopped” to “had stopped”. The tense must stay the same.
Option 3: It is a great pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped to bear fruit. — Incorrect. It changes “stopped bearing” to “stopped to bear”. “Stopped to bear” would mean the tree stopped in order to bear fruit.
Option 4: Is it not a great pity that the mango tree in our courtyard has stopped bearing fruit? — Incorrect. It is a question. It is not an assertive sentence.