English
You open the book. Do you open the book? Open the book.
The same action changes social purpose across statement, question, and command.
Sentences do not only describe reality. They can present information, request information, or try to make something happen. Statements, questions, and commands are different ways of using language to act in the world.
Core concepts
1
Statements present information as true or relevant.
2
Questions request information.
3
Commands try to cause action.
4
Tone, punctuation, word order, and verb forms can signal the sentence mode.
Examples
Spanish
Abres el libro. ¿Abres el libro? Abre el libro.
Spanish uses punctuation, form, and context to mark the sentence's reality mode.
Visual model
Three sentence modes
1
Statement
Here is information.
2
Question
Give me information.
3
Command
Do this action.
The same meaning content can have a different communicative force.
Interactive exploration
Change the sentence mode.
Statement
A statement places information into the shared conversation.
You read the page.
Language detective
Identify the hidden structure
Notice how punctuation and verb form frame the sentence.
Best: 0/5
Spanish
¿Abres el libro?
Look for roles, time, mode, and polarity.
Knowledge check
Test the concept
Best: 0/3
Three conceptual checks