Intonation

Definition
Intoneltion |cl'crs to tl-re use of melocl.y ancl
the l'ise ancl f:rll ol the rvher-r
speaking' Each lzrnguage uses rising ancl lalling pitches
clil'ferently 'oice
and has its or.r,r.r
clistinctivc rnclociy and intonation pattcln.. Lr
]act, babies usually recog.rize a'cl
use the it-ltonation of their native languarge
bel'ore they learn a.t.ial ,p...h souncls
and words.

lntonation in English
Intonation can convey grammatical meaning as
well as the speaker's attitude. It
will "tell"rrul-rether a person"is making zr statJment
or asking a question; it rvill also
inclicate if the person is confident, cloubrlr_ri,
shy, annoyed,
or impatient. Cor.rect
use of intonalion is necessary to convev your
message correctly qlre to
--!^J and Lv make vou
sound lil<e a native English speaker.

Possible Pronunciation problems,..,..._..*.

Engiish has several basic intonation contorrs.
However, there are marlv more
possible va.rariorrs thar.change with a
spcaker.'s intended
emotional state of mind. without realizi'g it, -";;;";:'",,,,r0",'",,0
,vour can confi-rse vour listeners b'
using incor-l.cct English intonatiot.r
llattel.ns.
1. Il'your voice rises when it should fall, yor_r will:
zi. change a cleclarative setlLence into
a cllrcstior_r.
EXAMPLE "That'-s Bill's car, will sor_rncl ,,That,s
like Bill,s car?,,
b. solrrrcl ckrr-rlttfirl or annoyed.'

2. Il'your- voice stays level when it shoulcl cither. risc

or Iarll, yor_r wil]:
a. sound bored or uninter:ested.
ll' c.lrltlsc vrltrt'listcncl's into tlrinl<irrg yor-r cliclrr't ['ir.rislr y'r-rr.iicrltclrcc ol-
question.
EXAMPLE "[ werrr hrrre" rviil s.uncr ]ikc "I
wcnt honrc. . . erncr . . .,,
Listen to the cD several times before trying
to imitate the instmctor. with
practice, you wili soon notice a great improvement.
KEEP up rHE GOOD WORKI

105
 Phrases Ending with a Falling Pitch
1. DeclaraLive sentcr-rccs
ExAMPLES Lir-rda is my sister. \ He is not going. \
2. Questions that require n-rore than ayes/no response (such question worcls
incltrcic t,lto, wlrul, v'lrart, t-ltv, y'ltere, v,ltit'It, Itov,)
EXAMPLES Where is rny book? \ (On the table. \)
When clicl l-re lcave? \ (At three o'clocli. \)

Phrases Ending with a Rising Pitch

1. Questions that asl< for attes/no response (such qr-restion rvords include can, dt
tt,ill , would , nlay , ancl z.s )

EXAMPLES Will yor-r stay? 7 (No, I can't. \)

Do yon lilie school? ,z (Yes, I do. \)

2. Statements that expr"ess doubt or uncertainty

lr@,ruln
EXAMPLES I'm not positive. ,r'
I thinl< he's cor-r'ring. ,r'

EXERCISE A Cl ,,r,"n and repeat the statements. Make your voice foft at the end of each of the
sentences. Remember, questions that cannot be answered with yes or no take the
downward intonation as declarative sentences.

1. I have for"rr brothers.\

2. He is not n-ry h"iend. \
3. We lil<c ice crcam. \
4. Tim bor.rght a ne\^/ car. \
5. S}re likes to pliiy tennis. \
6. What is your name? \
7. Fiorv is your lamily? \
ho*Ji
B. Who rvill clrivc y.r.r 'o
9. Whv did he leaive? \ lllmrDrn,

10. Which bbok is yours? \

1 06 Part 2: Stress, Rhythm, and lntonation

r]: SE B fd ,,r,"n and repeat the yeslnoquestions and sample responses.
Be sure your voice rises ,v at the end of each question and fal/s \ at the end
of each response.

YeslNo Questions ,r' Responses \

1. Can you see? Yes, I can.
2. Does he play goll? Yes, he cloes.
3. Mav I borrorv it? Ycs, vclr-r nral'.
4. Will she help? No, she \von't.
5. Did he arrive? Yes, l-re'.s here nou'.
6. Is Susan your sister? No, she's my friend.
7 . Have they eaten? Yes, they ate at two.
8. May I help you? Yes, pleerse do. :

9. Are we leaving? 'No,

wc're staying.
10. Can my friends stay? Yes, tirev can.

Sounding Confident lnstead of Uncertain

As urits:.illcacly cliscrrssccl, a liillilry pitclr shor-rlcl bc r-rsccl nI tlrc cncl oI clcc]iirzrtive
senlences. It r.vill help you sound conficlcnL nncl sure of' .yor-rrself. On the other
hand, using an upw,arcl pitch at the end of the same sentences indjcates that the
speaher is doubtful or uncertain abolrt what he or she is saying.
EXAMPLE They have twenty children. \ (stated as a fact)
Thev have twenty childrer-r. .r' (stated rvitl-r clotrbt or- clisbelief)

:. : S: C

left and an upward pitch to end the sentences on the right. (Notice how the fatling
pitch in the first reading helps you to sound sure of yourself, while the rrsing pitch in
the second reading makes you sound doubtful or uncertain.)

Stated with Cenainty \ Stated with Doubt .r'

1. He ate twenty-live hot dogs.
2. Thc boss gave him a raisc.
3. Yru ran 55 nriles.
4. Mikc r,vas electeci presicler-rL.
5. [t'.s a]reerdy tht'ee o'clocl<.
I-Ie atc twenty-five hot dogs
Tlrc boss gavc him a raise.
You ran 55 rrriles.
Mikc rvzrs electcd president.
lt'.s alrcadv three o'clock.

lntonation in Sentences with Two or More phrases

Intonation also tells the listener rt'hether a speaker has cornpleted the statement or
quesl-ion or vr,lrether he or she has more to sa\,: Many sentences are spoken with tr,r'o
or rrore plrrascs.joined together r,l'ith sr,rch connecting rvords as and, if, so, or but.
EXAMPLES FIc cau sing, but lre can't clance .

We rvere hungr1,, thirsty, ancl tirecl.

Lesson 22 107
 yolt ru-c linishccl
lf 1'eg|voice clrops aller tlic li|st phrase, your lisLelreI ivill lhi[rh
you have nrore to say, you must keep your
tiith the sentence. To mal<e i1 clear that
tht'ce rnailr types o1'set]teuce-s:
voice Lettel --- belor.e the conr]ccting worcl. There are

1 . Declarati\/e sentel-lces r'i'ith two or rnore phrases

*' ltefore lhe connecting rvord ancllou'er rt at the end' \
Keep your ,.oirs lsttel
EXAMpLES I must buv cot{ee --+, tea --+, i'Irld milh' \
She speaks French --+ but not Spanish' \
2. Questions pl'eserl-ttitrg tr'rro or trlore choices
r'vith two or nlore
This intonation pattern is the serme as for decla|artive sentences
utorcl andlovter it rn'hert
phrases. I(eep yor,rr vt--tice Lattel -- before the conneclir-rg
),ott ['inish your c|-restiol-t'
\
EXAMPLES Woulcl yor-r lil<e ciilie pie? \
or:
-'
ls he leaving tolrolrow --- or Sttnday? \
3. Yes/No qr-restions r'r'ith trvo or n-lore phrases
I(cep yor,u- voicc let,al - ltclot'c the connecting rvorcl,
and ltsc t risirtgpitch / at

the end of Your question.

ExAMPLEs Wil) yor-r corllc il I drive you? /
->
Dici he iike the nerv belt -> ancl giovcs I bor-rght? /
,llli

are there to remind

EXERCISE D 0 ,,r,"n and repeat the statements and questions' {The arrows
you to use the Proper intonation patterns')

May I leave nou, ---', or should I r'vait \?

Did yori br-ry ar ner'r' hat -'> or pants \?
He n-rissecl his btrs --+ but arrived on time \'
Call rle lirter -, il'it's not loo late \'
Will yor-r r,isit tts --- if vou're in torvn /?
I'11 learre early ---, so I rvon't miss the plane
\'
Do yor-t 1il<e grapes --+, pears -+, and plr-rms /?
He's goocl at rnath -; but not spelling \'
Yott rnay stay LIp late if you fir-rish yotir homervork \'
- \'
Hc rver-it szrllir-rg ->, swit-t-inring *e, arrcl ['ishir-rg

1 08 Part 2: Stress, Rhythm, and lntonation

 ::( YOURSELF 1
fr a,r,"n.nd repeat the statements and questions. rndicate whether
falling or rising intonation by marking an x in the appropriaie.otr*n. they have a
Check Yourself 1 -3, see Appendix ll, plges 286_2g7.i
(For answers to 4
Falling Rising
EXAMPLES I feel fine. X

Can you sing?

L When's your birthday?

2. Did vou see mv ltriend?
-). l{ou, are votr?
4. l'ur lir-rc, tlrlrnk .vor_r.

.5. Wlry n,cre votr altsc.rrt?

6. Can torr lrave clirrrrcr.?
7. I lour clo .votr linrlu,?
8. I clon't like bects.
9. Wlrcrc is m.1, pencil?
10. Will y'or-r cilirre rle l.ronrc?

- ::( tl-t
YOURSELF 2
r .R.""{ the multiple-phrase sentences aloud. Draw the correct intonation arrows in
the blanks (\ = yoice falls; --- = voice stays level; ,v voice risesj. =

EXAMPLE Do volr lr,ant coffc-e

- , [ea + , or.rtri]l< \ ?

l. We enjoy sr,r,imrnins hiliins ancl tcnuis

2. Is a b:rrbecue all right _ il, it ckrcsn't r.ain .?

J. If it rains tomorror,r, the gane is off

4 Is he sick I hope not '-.
----?
5. Please br:ing me lhc hanrurer .=-, nails __, ancl ScllSSOl'S
6. Do vor"r like grzrpcs l)car.s ___ , ancl pltu,ns )
7. May I leave now _, or.sholrlcl I lvait _?
8. I-Iei good aL math _-- blrt rrot spclling
9. Call rr-re later if it'.s not too larte
----
10. Will yotr visit Lls ---- i[yor-r,rc in torvtr

Lesson 22 109
CHECK YOURSELF 3 L:J Reaa the joke. ln the blank spaces, draw the correct intonation arrows = voice (\
falls;n = voiZe stays level; ,v = voice rises).To help you, sentence stress patterns and
some intonation arrows are already provided.

Sam Can't Tell a Joke!

*
Satrr- ,lt erttltrictecl felon \t'lts scnLctlccd ttt lile in
prisol \ prison--, the other inmates
,. W}ren he an:iyed at the
were sitting ;irouncl calling out numbers_. I{e heard Bill call--',
"One thor:silncl twenty Then Joe bellowecl "Trvo hunclred

forty"-. "Does anyone know three thousand two" / ? asked

Mark happily-. Each time a number u'as called the men
roared with lar-rghter ,. Sam askecl
-,
What is everyone lar,rghing ztL"

Bill explainecl-. "Well-, we knorv thousands of iokes-'

-? one-. S9 wc'vc numbered all ol
It wor-rlcl tril<c too lrtpg t<t tell eerch
them-. When we want to tell a joke-, we simply call out its
number"---. Sam asl<eci hopeftilly-, "will yoli guys teach me all
the johes- and their nllmbers"-?
Bili taught Sam all of the jokes and their numbers-.. One
day-, r'vhile the inmates were telling jokes-, Sam
callecl "Five hundred"-. No one lar'rghed
shouted-, "Five hundred"-. Still no one lar-rghed "I dont
get it_. Why isr-r't anyone laughing_? Isn't number five hundred
one of our funniest jokes"-? "Yes" replied Bill-, "but you
clicL-r't tell it rigl'rt"-! -_,

EXERCISE [f] neaa the dialogue aloud with a partner. Use the correct sentence stress and
intonation patterni as.indicated by the bbldfaced words and intonation arrows
( \ = voice falls; --- = voice stays level; 7'= voice risesl.

Husband: Hi, honey \. What clid vou do today \?

Wife: I went shopping \'
Husband: Yott rvetrt shopping 7? Lgain 7?
wife: Yes \. The sLore l-rad a big sale \. Everything was half-price \
Husband; What did you buY now \?

11 0 Part 2: Stress, Rhythm, and lntonation

Wife: I bought this blouse fcir rhir.ty clollars \. Isn,r it stunning
/?
Husband: Yes --', it's stunning \.I,m the one that,s
stunned \.
Wife: Do you like the green hat --+ or the red
one \ ?
Husband: I like the cheaper one \.
Wife: I also bought a belt --, scarf -_+, dress -__>
, and shoes \.
Husband: Stop it \ I I'm afraid to hear any more \. Do we have any money
left .v ?

Wife: Yes, clear'+, wc have lots'r''r''c.y lcrt \. I servecr lwo rrtrncrr.ecr

clolla's ol-r rlry new clo[hes
->, so I bougrrL you. scr, o[golf clubs \.
Husbancl: Really y'? I always saicl yor-r wer.c a great shopper \l

Lesson22 111