Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007

9 Interjections
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech

Wow!

Definition: This is another word from the Latin, inter, meaning ’between’ or ’among’ and jacere - ’to throw’. In other words, an interjection is something ’thrown’ in. An interjection is an exclamation of one or two words that stands alone and is usually a response to surprise, shock or disgust, such as ’Goodness!’ or ’Yuk!’

9.1 Activity: interjections

Students need no activity to practise interjections, but they will enjoy suggesting some. (You may need some ground rules for these!) One could ask them for suggestions of what they would say given certain situations, for example:

a. they dropped their ice-cream in the gutter ...

b. they saw a ghost ...

c. they tripped over a thong ...

d. they bumped into a friend they have not seen for years ...

e. they heard their favourite show is cancelled ...