Choose the appropriate Exclamatory sentence for the following sentence:
I wish I were a doctor.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → How I wish I were a doctor!
A wish: assertive to exclamatory:
A strong wish is turned into an exclamation in one of two ways:
- How + the subject + wish ...!: How I wish I were a doctor!
- Would that / If only + the wish, without "wish": If only I were a doctor!
| Change | Assertive | Exclamatory | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening words | I wish | How I wish | “How” here stresses the strength of the feeling. |
| End mark | (.) | (!) | The sentence ends with an exclamation mark. |
| Full sentence | I wish I were a doctor. | How I wish I were a doctor! |
Example: I wish I could fly. → How I wish I could fly!
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Oh that I wish I were a doctor! — Incorrect. "Oh that" already expresses the wish ("Oh that I were a doctor!"). Adding "I wish" repeats it.
Option 3: What I wish I were a doctor! — Incorrect. "What" introduces a noun (What a fine day!). It cannot stress the verb "wish".
Option 4: Hurrah! I wish I were a doctor — Incorrect. "Hurrah" expresses joy at a success. It does not suit a longing for something one does not have, and the exclamation mark is missing at the end.
Contrast: "How" stresses the verb "wish" (How I wish ...!). "What" goes before a noun (What a fine day!).