Choose the correct assertive sentence for the following exclamatory sentence:
How awkwardly he manages his sword!
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → He manages his sword very awkwardly.
Exclamatory to assertive sentence:
| Change | Exclamatory | Assertive | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening words | How | very | “How” at the start is replaced by very (or “most”), placed before the adjective or adverb, so that the strong feeling is kept. |
| Word order | How awkwardly he manages his sword | He manages his sword very awkwardly | The words go back to the normal order of a statement: subject + verb + object + adverb of manner. |
| End mark | (!) | (.) | The exclamation mark becomes a full stop. |
| Full sentence | How awkwardly he manages his sword! | He manages his sword very awkwardly. |
Example: How beautifully she sings! → She sings very beautifully.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: He manages his sword awkwardly. — Incorrect. It drops "very", so the strong feeling of the exclamation is lost.
Option 3: He awkwardly manages his sword. — Incorrect. It drops "very", and the adverb of manner is moved before the verb.
Option 4: He very awkwardly manages his sword. — Incorrect. It keeps "very", but the adverb phrase stands between the subject and the verb. In a statement an adverb of manner normally comes after the verb and its object.