Choose the correct option to change the following assertive sentence into an exclamatory sentence:
It is a matter of great happiness that we have won the trophy.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Hurrah! we have won the trophy.
Assertive to exclamatory (with an interjection):
| Change | Assertive | Exclamatory | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interjection | It is a matter of great happiness that | Hurrah! | An assertive sentence that states a feeling becomes exclamatory when the feeling is shown by an interjection. The interjection must suit the feeling: “Hurrah!” for joy or victory, “Alas!” for sorrow. The words “It is a matter of great happiness that” are dropped. |
| Full sentence | It is a matter of great happiness that we have won the trophy. | Hurrah! we have won the trophy. |
The rest of the sentence keeps its tense: "we have won the trophy".
Example: It is a matter of great joy that our team has qualified. → Hurrah! our team has qualified.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Alas! we have won the trophy. — Incorrect. Alas expresses sorrow or regret, the opposite of the happiness in the given sentence.
Example: Alas! the old bridge has collapsed.
Option 3: Hurrah! we won the trophy! — Incorrect.
- It changes the present perfect "have won" to the simple past "won".
- It adds a second exclamation mark at the end, though the interjection already carries the exclamation.
Option 4: Hay! we had won the trophy! — Incorrect.
- "Hay" is dried grass, not an interjection of joy.
- The tense changes to the past perfect "had won".
Contrast: Hurrah! expresses joy or victory. Alas! expresses sorrow or regret.