修辞性问句可以是一般问句形式，也可以是特殊问句形式。可以是肯定问句，也可以是否定问句。肯定形式的修辞性问句表示强烈的否定陈述意义；否定形式的修辞性问句表示强烈的肯定陈述意义。修辞性问句句末仍用问号，语调同普通问句。例如：

How could you do that? Aren't you a human being?

= You shouldn't have done that. You are a human being.

Are you serious? Don't you know this is very important?

= You are not serious. You surely know this is very important.

Who cares?= I don't care at all.

感叹问句则是用问句的形式表示惊讶、好奇、赞叹、愤怒等情绪。句末用感叹号, 读骤降调。形式上主要一般问句，而且无论是否定形式还是肯定形式，都表示相同的感叹意义。例如：

Isn't she old! = Is she old! = How old she is ! = She is so old!

Weren't some of them marvelous! = Were some of them marvelous! = How marvelous some of them were! = Some of them were so marvelous!

所以，感叹问句不仅仅是修辞性问句将问号改为感叹号，将升调改为降调。

Is she old? 作为修辞性问句，表示否定陈述意义，等于 She is not old at all.

Is she old! 作为感叹问句，= Isn't she old! = How old she is! (《剑桥英语语法》923页）