Telling or Asking Sentence?
There are two kinds of sentences you'll see most: TELLING sentences (which give information and end with a full stop .) and ASKING sentences (which ask a question and end with a question mark ?). Knowing which is which helps you read with the right voice.
Worked examples
Is this a telling or asking sentence? — 'The dog is barking.'
It TELLS you something (the dog is barking). It ends with a full stop. That's a telling sentence.
Answer: telling
Is this a telling or asking sentence? — 'Where is my book?'
It ASKS a question (where is the book?). It ends with a question mark. That's an asking sentence.
Answer: asking
Tips
- •Telling sentence = ends with .
- •Asking sentence = ends with ?
- •Asking sentences often start with words like 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', 'how'.
- •Read with your voice going UP at the end of an asking sentence.
Key words
telling sentenceasking sentencequestion markfull stop