English 7

English – Grade 7
Quarter 2 – Module 2: Prosodic Features of Speech (Carriers of Meaning)
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Writer: Marie Kristelle H. Borela

Editor/Reviewer: Karen B. Villanueva
Illustrator: Edison P. Clet
Layout Artist: Marisol Aspuria Baguisi
Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
Aurelio G. Alfonso EdD
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Victor M. Javeña EdD
Chief, School Governance and Operations Division and
OIC-Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

Education Program Supervisors

Librada L. Agon EdD (EPP/TLE/TVL/TVE)

Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
Bernard R. Balitao (AP/HUMSS)
Joselito E. Calios (English/SPFL/GAS)
Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMS/ADM)
Ma. Teresita E. Herrera EdD (Filipino/GAS/Piling Larang)
Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
Dulce O. Santos PhD (Kindergarten/MTB-MLE)
Teresita P. Tagulao EdD (Mathematics/ABM)

Printed in the Philippines by the Department of Education – Schools Division of Pasig City
 English 7
Quarter 2
Self-Learning Module 2
Prosodic Features of Speech
(Carriers of Meaning)
Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the English 7 Self-Learning Module on Prosodic Features of Speech

(Carriers of Meaning).

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed, and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st-century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
For the learner:

Welcome to the English 7 Self-Learning Module on Prosodic Features of Speech

(Carriers of Meaning).

The hand is one of the most symbolized parts of the human body. It is often
used to depict skill, action, and purpose. Through our hands, we may learn, create,
and accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a
learner is capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies
and skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

This is your self-instructional learner module in English 7. All the

activities provided in this lesson will help you learn and understand: Prosodic
Features of Speech (Carriers of Meaning).
Specifically, you will learn about the following:
1. Recognize prosodic features: volume, projection, pitch, stress,
intonation, juncture, and speech rate that serve as carriers of meaning
2. Note important points signaled by volume, projection, pitch, stress,
intonation, juncture, and rate of speech
3. Note the changes in volume, projection, pitch, stress, intonation,
juncture, and rate of speech that affect meaning

PRETEST

Directions: Read the sentence versions with correct prosody and take note of
the stressed words that are italicized. Match the sentence in Column A with
its meaning in Column B. Write the letter of the answer on the blank provided
before the number.

A B
___1. I said she might consider a new haircut. A. It’s a possibility.
___2. I said she might consider a new haircut. B. It was my idea.
___3. I said she might consider a new haircut. C. Don’t you understand
me? D. Not another person.
___4. I said she might consider a new haircut. E. She should think about it
___5. I said she might consider a new haircut.
 RECAP

It’s time to review your previous lesson. Below are the different features
of Prosodic Speech that were introduced to you during the first quarter:

When you say words with emphasis, it is called stress.

When you say words with high or low tone, it is called pitch.
When you say sentences in the rise or fall pattern, it is called intonation.
When you say words with proper pauses to have a smooth flow of speech, it
is called juncture.
When you say words that are too soft or too loud, it refers to volume.
And lastly, when you talk too fast or too slow, it refers to speech rate.

LESSON

Say the same sentence “I have homework tonight” using different

emotions as shown in the picture below:

Red green and black hearts illustration Free Photo Retrieved from:
https://www.pikrepo.com/nnfzf/red-green-and-black-hearts-illustration

Using different emotions while saying the sentence also changes the
tone of your voice. Tone of voice is one of the most influential elements of
communication. There are factors in the sound of your voice that give
meaning to what you say. Some of these factors are the changes in volume,
projection, pitch, stress, intonation, juncture, and your speech rate.

Here are the potential meaning of the messages using different emotions.
1. I have homework tonight [happy]
(Emotional Message = I am very excited do my homework tonight.)
2. I have homework tonight [bored]
(Emotional Message = I don’t want to do my homework, it’s not fun.)
3. I have homework tonight [sad]
(Emotional Message = I don’t want to do my homework because I feel
upset right now.)

The way we say the words can change the meaning of the sentence. It
only means that how we say something is as important as what we say. If we
say it right, that intended and clear message helps decrease confusion and
misinterpretation in social situations.
Now here is another example. Try to emphasize the words that are
italicized. Can you tell the difference in meaning?

• I love school. (meaning = the person really does love school)

• I love school. (meaning = the person is suggesting that the he/she loves
school and the listener does not)
• I love school. (meaning = the person speaking loves school and no other
things such as homework or getting up early for school)

Another important thing, when it comes to learning English is being

aware of our stress and intonation. They are closely linked to each other and
they go hand in hand. Intonation is about the way the voice rises and falls
when speaking, in other words the music of language. Just as words have
stressed syllables, sentences have regular patterns because of the stressed
words. In addition, the voice tends to rise, fall or remain flat depending on the
meaning that we want to convey. Let’s learn more about these two prosodic
features of speech.
 Stress means you give emphasis on the specific syllable or words in the
sentence. When a particular word in a sentence is emphasized, spoken loudly
or printed in bold or italics, the meaning of the sentence changes. That means
it is important to understand which words we generally stress and which we
do not stress. The words that are stressed is called Content Words. These are
words that have meaning. While Function Words are non-stressed words
because it serves as grammatical function with little identifiable meaning.

Here are the examples:

CONTENT WORDS
(Stressed Words)
Nouns (e.g., kitchen, Peter)
Verbs (e.g., visit, construct)
Adjectives (e.g., beautiful, interesting
Negative words with "no" such as
"nothing," "nowhere," etc.
Words expressing quantities (e.g., a
lot of, a few, many, etc.)
FUNCTION WORDS
(Non-Stressed Words)
Determiners (e.g., the, a, some, a
few)
Auxiliary verbs (e.g., don't, am,
can, were)
Prepositions (e.g., before, next to)
Conjunctions (e.g., but, while, as)
Pronouns (e.g., they, she, us)
Verbs "have" and "be" even when
used as main verbs

Meanwhile, Intonation is about the way the voice rises and falls when
speaking. It is used for range of functions such as indication and emotions of
the speaker, signaling the difference between statements and questions,
focusing attention on important elements of the spoken message. Common
examples include the wh-word questions.
Below are the examples:
1. When action is the main focus.
What are you doing?
2. When the person being asked is the main focus of the interrogator.
What are you doing?
 3. When the answer is close-ended.
Yes, I'm doing the dishes.
4. When someone is interviewed.
Do you do the dishes?

Guided Practice 1
Take note of the stressed word in the sentence. Can you tell the difference in
meaning?

1. I love your mother’s cooking.

2. I love your mother’s cooking.
3. I love your mother’s cooking.
4. I love your mother’s cooking.
5. I love your mother’s cooking.

Here are the Potential Answers:

1. The speaker personally loves the cooking and maybe someone else does
not love your mother’s cooking.
2. The speaker naturally loves your mother’s cooking.
3. The person doesn’t like someone else’s cooking but only your mother’s
cooking.
4. The speaker doesn’t like a particular family member’s cooking. For
example, your father’s cooking.
5. Aspect of mother you love. The speaker might hate your mother but still
love her cooking.

Another important thing in conveying a clear message is knowing the

importance of Juncture. Juncture is a pause or slightly delay in a continuous
flow of speech. Pauses are intervals of silence between or with in words,
phrases or sentences. Junctures and pauses are just the same.
Benefits of using Pauses Effectively:
1. Pauses help your listener understand you better.
2. Pauses help convey emotion.
3. Pauses control the overall pace of your delivery.

Guided Practice 2
Juncture can be practiced when reading sentences. Make sure to pause
for a while after a punctuation mark. These punctuation marks like commas,
question marks, periods etc. can completely change the meaning of the
sentence depending where they are placed. It helps the reader understand
the intended message. Now practice reading the same sentence below. Can
you tell the difference in meaning?

1. Who is calling, Jinky?

2. Who is calling Jingky?

In the first sentence, the person is asking Jingky who called at that time
maybe over the phone, and that call is maybe for someone else. While in the
second sentence, the person is asking who exactly is calling or looking for
Jingky.

Try to answer again another example below:

1. Are you asking, my dear student?
2. Are you asking my dear student?

In the first sentence, the teacher is clarifying if the student is asking

him. In the second sentence, the teacher is talking to someone and clarifying
if that person is asking his student.

Here are other important elements in Prosodic Speech that may affect
the meaning of your message:
Pitch – for example, to be persuasive you should use pitch inflection (high
tone) to make what you are saying come to life.
Volume – avoid the extremes of being too loud or too soft, while also varying
our volume within an acceptable middle range.
Speed – your speech rate has a huge influence on how the audience perceives
you and your speech. It’s important therefore to understand your speaking
rate and how to alter it depending on the type of speech you are delivering.
Tone – our tone conveys our attitude, whether we send a message of humor,
anger, sarcasm, jealousy or sincerity.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Underline the stressed word in the sentence that is being described in each
item.

1. When the doer is the main focus.

My brother studies at a public school.
2. When action is the main focus.
My brother studies at a public school.
3. When place is the main focus.
My brother studies at a public school.
4. In answer to a ‘yes/no’ question:
No, my brother doesn’t study at a public school.
5. When someone asks you the question:
Do you study at a public school?

Activity 2
Answer the following questions below. Write the letter of the answer on the
space before every item.

_____1. In English, when we stress something it means _____.

A. We say it louder.
 B. We say it slowly.
C. We say it quieter.
D. We say it as fast as we can.
_____2. Which of these words are usually stressed?
A. Nouns
B. Determiners
C. Prepositions
D. Conjunctions
_____3. Which of these words are not usually stressed?
A. Verbs
B. Adverbs
C. Adjectives
D. Prepositions
_____4. I work hard.
If the stressed word is “hard” it means _____.
A. I am not lazy, I work hard.
B. Other people don’t work hard, but I do.
C. I work hard and I deserve appreciation.
D. I only work hard and I don’t do anything else.
_____5. Clara had three bedrooms in her house.
If the stressed word is “had”, it means _____.
A. Clara had three bedrooms, not two
B. Clara had three bedrooms but not in that particular house.
C. Clara was the person who had three bedrooms, not someone
else.
D. In the past, Clara had three bedrooms in the house but now
she doesn’t.

Activity 3
Imagine yourself in each of these situations. Practice the following:

1. Say “what’s the matter” using change in pitch, tempo, force,

pauses, and voice quality according to each situation.
 A. A friend is found crying.
B. There is commotion in the classroom.
C. A classmate stubbornly insists on a proposal you strongly dislike.
D. Somebody finds faults with you
2. Say ‘yes” to the following:
A. You’re happy about it.
B. You’re excited about it.
C. You’re not sure of it.
D. You’re afraid of it.
E. You’re angry at it.

WRAP-UP

To wrap everything up, always remember that:

Prosodic features are routinely used to signal, for example, a speaker’s
attitude to what they are saying,
These features such as Stress, Intonation, Juncture and other
elements like pitch, volume, speech rate and tone help us infer the
sentence meaning and the speaker’s intended meaning.

VALUING

Good communication can improve safety in school. How can it help you
as a student?

For PHYSICAL SAFETY, it is important to have clear communication

about the safety procedures in school. Tell your teacher if you see any
threats, accidents, and all the other hazards around you.
For EMOTIONAL SAFETY, reach out in time of need. Communicating
your problems to someone else is difficult but it is also good if you seek
advice from an adult whom you really trust. You can ask help from your
parents or your teachers.
For ACADEMIC SAFETY, do not be afraid to ask questions or tackle
the challenge that you are experiencing. Good communication is important
so that the school can help you with your concerns.

Jester, O. School 39 Retrieved from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-

image.php?image=184711&picture=school-39

POSTTEST

Directions: Read the sentence versions with prosody and take note of the
stressed words. Match the sentence in Column A with its meaning in Column
B. Write your answer on the blank provided before the number.

A B
____1. I’ll go to school next Friday. A. Not any other day.
____2. I’ll go to school next Friday. B. Not this Friday.
____3. I’ll go to school next Friday. C. I’ll just go, but not to attend
class.
____4. I’ll go to school next Friday. D. Me, not anyone else.
____5. I’ll go to school next Friday. E. Not to my friend’s house.
 KEY TO CORRECTION

5. B 5. A 5. do 5. E
4. A 4. B 4. no 4. A
3. E 3. D 3. public school 3. D
2. C 2. A 2. studies 2. C
1. D 1. A 1. brother 1. B
Posttest Activity 2 Activity 1 Pretest

References
Barnard, Dom. Average Speaking Rate and Words per Minute. 2018.
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/average-speaking-rate-words-per-minute
Beare, Kenneth. Intonation and Stress in English. 2018.
https://www.thoughtco.com/intonation-and-stress-in-english-1212070
Beare, Kenneth. Pronunciation changing meaning through word stress. 2019.
https://www.thoughtco.com/pronunciation-changing-meaning-word-stress-
1209026
Chilton, George. Intonation and Sentence Stress. 2011.
https://designerlessons.org/2011/12/10/intonation-sentence-stress-esl
Dlugan, Andrew. Speech Pauses. 2012. http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/pause-
speech/
Esen, Seckin. Stress and Intonation-Contrastive Stress. 2018.
https://owlcation.com/academia/Stress-And-Intonation-In-English-Contrastive-
Stress
Heredia, Rubens. What is Sentence Stress. 2017.
https://www.whatiselt.com/single-post/2017/09/08/What-is-sentence-stress
Jablon, Judy. Communication: How's your Tone?. 2015.
https://www.judyjablon.com/blog/2015/2/9/communication-hows-your-tone
Levinson, Matt. The Principal Rule: Safety First. 2013.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-principal-rule-safety-first-matt-levinson
Monteron, Lienni Immari. Juncture and Pauses. 2011. https://lieni-
literature.blogspot.com/2011/03/juncture-or-pauses.html
Skyblu. Intonation and Stress. 2014. https://en.islcollective.com/english-esl-
worksheets/skill/reading/intonation-and-stress/74092
Socially Skilled Kids. How to teach kids volume voice and tone.
https://sociallyskilledkids.com/voice-volume-and-tone-of-voice
Williamson, Graham. Prosody. 2014. https://www.sltinfo.com/prosody