Sentence Types

  1. Y/N Questions
  2. WH Questions
  3. Declaratives
  4. Negations
  5. Affirmatives
  6. Topic/Comments
  7. Commands/Imperatives
  8. Rhetorical Questions
  9. Conditionals
  10. Relative Clauses

Y/N Questions

COFFEE YOU LIKE?

Nonmanual marker:  The eyebrows are raised a bit and the head slightly tilted forward.

WH Questions

YOU LEARN SIGN, WHERE?

Nonmanual marker:  The eyebrows are furrowed a bit (squeezed somewhat together) and the head moved slightly forward.

It is common to put the “WH”-type sign at the end of the question thus avoiding the need to maintain a furrowed brow throughout the whole sentence.

Declaratives

“I WILL.” (I’ll do it.)

Affirmative Declarative sentences:
Sign with a nodding of the head.
Example:  “I WILL.” (I’ll do it.)

Negative Declarative sentences:
Sign with a shaking of the head.
Example:  “I can’t.”
 
Neutral Declarative sentences:
Nonmanual marker:  Use a neutral head position and little or no shaking or nodding.
Example:  INDEX-“I/me” GO STORE. (“I’m going to the store.”)

Negations

NOT HAPPY

ASL (glossed as): IX-pronoun NOT HAPPY. English: She/he is not happy. This phrase comes with stress – shaking head when signing NOT HAPPY.

Negative Marker

  • side to side headshake
  • frown expression (eyebrows squeezed, sometimes nose wrinkled)
  • pursed lips, or loose lips

Affirmatives

MY ASL CLASS I LIKE

Declarative statements that confirm something as true, often using a head nod to reinforce the affirmation.


A head nod is a key non-manual marker used to confirm or affirm a statement. 

Topic/Comments

WEEKEND ME SLEEP IN

The topic refers to the main subject or focus of the sentence. The comment is what is being said about the topic.

Non-manual markers for the topic

  • Raised eyebrows: Raise your eyebrows while signing the topic. 
  • Forward head tilt: Slightly tilt your head forward towards your signing hand. 
  • Hold and pause: Hold the last sign of the topic slightly longer than usual and pause briefly before signing the comment. 
  • Eye contact: Maintain eye contact with the person you are addressing. 

Non-manual markers for the comment

  • Headshake (for negation): If the comment is a negative statement, use a headshake to convey the negation, such as in the sentence “ice cream I don’t like”. 
  • Nod (for affirmation): A nod can be used for affirmation before proceeding to the comment. 
  • Body shifts: Use body shifts to indicate different roles or to contrast information. 

English: “I sleep in on the weekends.” ASL Topic/Comment:

  • WEEKEND: Topic: (with raised eyebrows, forward head tilt, and a slight pause after the sign).
  • ME SLEEP-IN: Comment: (with a nod for affirmation at the end). 

Commands/Imperatives

YOU SIT DOWN

Imperative sentences give commands or make requests.

Non-manual markers:

Facial expressions are crucial for conveying the intent. A direct stare, possibly with a frown, can show a command. 

Rhetorical Questions

INDEX-(he) FAIL CLASS, WHY? STUDY-(neg)

English: He failed the class because he didn’t study.

To use a rhetorical question, make a statement using neutral expressions, then ask a “wh”-type of question–but instead of having your eyebrows down–raise your eyebrows during the “wh” sign. Then answer your own question using either a head nod or a head shake depending on whether your answer is declarative or negative.

Conditionals

TOMORROW RAIN?  GAME CANCEL.

English: If it rains tomorrow, the game is canceled

Raise your eyebrows during the “if” part of the sentence, then use a declarative nod for the “then” part of the sentence.

English: If you finish your chores, you can watch TV.

ASL: CHORES FINISH, YOU TV WATCH.

  • Explanation: The non-manual markers for the “if” clause are applied to the first part of the sentence

Relative Clauses

DOG CHASE CAT COME HOME

English: The dog that chased the cat came home.

Key sign/NMM- THAT-ONE, ITSELF (-CAN), pronoun/possessive, index pointing, eyebrows raised/down, clenched teeth, squeezed nose, rapid nodding, pursed lips

ASL relative clauses are formed without explicit English-style relative pronouns like “who” or “that.” Instead, they use non-manual signals (like a backward head tilt, raised eyebrows, and tensed upper lip) to mark the clause, and they can be structured as externally-headed or internally-headed relative clauses. A signer may also use a specific manual sign for “relative” or simply use the topic-comment structure, where the relative clause acts as a comment on the preceding topic.

Non-manual markers: These are crucial for identifying the relative clause. They include a backward head tilt, raised eyebrows, and a tensed upper lip.

Topic-comment structure: A common way to form relative clauses is by presenting the topic first, followed by the relative clause as a comment. For example, for “The man who is wearing a blue shirt is my father,” an ASL signer might sign MAN, HE, BLUE SHIRT, then MY FATHER.

In English