OPTATIVE SENTENCES
An optative sentence is one of the important types of sentences. In this post, I am discussing optative sentences with examples.
Definition of Optative Sentence
An Optative Sentence is a sentence that expresses a wish, a prayer, a boon or a curse. An optative sentence usually ends with an exclamation mark (!) or rarely with a full stop (.). Some grammarian include optative sentences in the category of exclamatory sentences.
Examples:
May God bless you with a son! (prayer)
Would that I were a scientist! ( wish)
May you live happily forever! ( blessing)
I wish I were strong enough to chase them away!
Oh, had I been more careful!
May God bless you all.
May you succeed in the examination!
Would that he were rich!
May you live long!
God’s will be done.
Would that I were your friend.
Most of the time the sentences start with “Long / May / Wish” and there is an exclamatory (!) at the end of the sentence.
We can write optative sentences using three structures. The structures have been given below.
Structure of Optative Sentences
1. May/+N/P+V-1+Others.
2. Long+V-1+N/P+Others.
3. Wish+N/P+Others.
Example of optative sentences following the first structure:
May God bless you!
May God save you!
May the almighty help us in this tragedy!
May his soul rest in peace!
May their team win the match!
May you become a rich man in future!
May God break your mouth!
May God ruin your business!
May the captain of our team live long!
May he get the job!
May you live a happy life!
May we lead a happy journey!
May God give you a son!
May God have mercy on the lives!
May they stay here!
May your sister recover very soon!
May she cook tasteful food!
May he earn a lot of money!
May you prosper in life!
May you ever be happy in life!
May you shine in life!
May her brother be smart!
May your sister be successful.
May their family be wealthy!
May you be a renowned doctor!
May they have a garden!
May she have a pond!
May there be a hospital in the village!
2nd type of Structure of optative sentence
Long+V+N/P+Others.
Long live my sons!
Long live my child!
Long live the Queen!
Long live our president!
Examples of Optative Sentence Using “Wish”
Wish+N/P+Others.
Sometimes the doer of the sentence is implied. Then the sentence starts with “Wish”.
Wish you a happy birthday!
Wish him all the best.
Wish you a happy peaceful life!
Wish you good luck!
Wish you a safe journey!
Wish you a good result!
Wish her a good day!
Wish you have a big bungalow!
Other types of optative sentence
Other Structure
These types of sentences follow a different pattern from the above rules. As a result, you must understand the meaning of the sentence, whether it expresses a wish or not. If the sentence expresses a wish, it is an optative sentence.
Examples:
Have a nice day!
Have a wonderful journey!
Have an excellent result.
Have a successful interview.
All the best.
Best of luck.
Happy New Year.
Structure of Optative Sentence ( Indirect Speech)
The structure of indirect speech of Optative sentences.
a. The Reporting verb is changed into wish or pray.
b. The Optative form is changed into a statement.
c. ‘That’ is used as a linking word.
He said to me, “May you be happy”.
He wished that I might be happy.
Mr Khan said, “May Allah save me”.
Mr Khan prayed that Allah might save him.
