[Grammar] How careless YOU ARE! / ARE YOU?

[Sahil Dhankhar]

This is not my homework.

How careless are you?
How careless you are!

I think that both of the above are correct and the first one falls in the category of interrogative sentence and that's why helping verb comes before the subject and the second subject falls under the category of exclamatory sentences and that's why the helping verb comes after the subject.

Am I right?

 

[Sahil Dhankhar]

Similarly,

Interrogative- How beautiful is she.
Exclamatory-How beautiful she is!
I assume that "how" can be used in both interrogative and exclamatory sentences but "what a" can't be used in interrogative sentences.
Example:- What a beautiful flower it is!
But it is wrong :- What a beautiful flower is it?

Am I again right?

Also is there any difference as well as any grammatical error in the following two sentences?
How beautiful a girl!
What a beautiful girl!

 

[jutfrank]

For the purposes of what you're doing, yes, you're right. Remember to use question marks with interrogatives.

A notable exception is Hamlet's famous exclamatory:

What a piece of work is a man!

 

[GoesStation]

Also is there any difference as well as any grammatical error in the following two sentences?
How beautiful a girl! :cross:
What a beautiful girl! :tick:

x

 

[Sahil Dhankhar]

Kindly explain a bit, why we can't use how in the provided sentence?

How beautiful a girl!

Also, kindly have a look at the following sentences.
How big hands you have!
What big hands you have!

How tall a boy!

 

[GoesStation]

Also, kindly have a look at the following sentences.
How big hands you have!:cross:
What big hands you have!:tick:

How tall a boy!:cross:

I can't think of a way to explain why the exclamations starting with how aren't natural.

 

[jutfrank]

Kindly explain a bit, why we can't use how in the provided sentence?

How beautiful a girl!

It's grammatical but not at all natural in normal language. Most people would say What a beautiful girl!

 

[Sahil Dhankhar]

That's the point. I am trying to have a deep insight of British English grammar. I never wanted to ask if a sentence is natural or not. I always wanted to know whether it's grammatically correct or not.

 

[Sahil Dhankhar]

So, instead of "How tall a boy!", should we use "What a tall boy!"?

 

[Matthew Wai]

So, instead of "How tall a boy!", should we use "What a tall boy!"?

I think we should.

I never wanted to ask if a sentence is natural or not. I always wanted to know whether it's grammatically correct or not.

I often use unnatural sentences inadvertently, but I have never used "How + adjective + noun phrase".

 

[Roman55]

I never wanted to ask if a sentence is natural or not. I always wanted to know whether it's grammatically correct or not.

Grammatically correct, but unnatural sentences, are not what I strive for in foreign languages.

 

[jutfrank]

So, instead of "How tall a boy!", should we use "What a tall boy!"?

Now I'm confused. Are you now asking which one is right or which one is grammatical?

They're both technically grammatical but only the second is right.