The High Drop

Yes/No Questions

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 When we use the High Drop to ask Yes/No questions, the
speaker sounds willing to discuss the topic of the question,
rather than just expecting a mere yes/no answer. This means that
he wants to hear an explanation or a comment from the listener.
However, he is not too serious or urgent.

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 A: Shall we tell the truth to granny?
Examples (She might get too sad.)
/ ʃæl wɪ ౦tel ðə ౦truːθ tə grænɪ /

A: Shall we ask the teacher to postpone the test?

(What are the advantages and disadvantages? )
/ ʃæl wɪ ౦ɑːsk ðə ౦tiːʧə tə pəʊstpəʊn ðə ౦test /
 In some contexts, the speaker may sound sceptical (i.e.,
doubting that what the listener has just said is true) or mildly
surprised.

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 A: John says he’s innocent.
Examples B: Can he prove it though?
/ kæn hɪ pru;v ɪt౦ðəʊ /

A: My favourite food is mondongo.

B: Are you joking?
/ a:r jʊ dʒəʊkɪŋ /
 Within yes/no questions, we include question tags and
independent comments.
In the case of question tags said with the High Drop, the
speaker is expecting agreement.

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 A: You are coming, aren’t you?
Examples / a:nt jʊ /

A: You like it, don’t you?

/ dəʊnt jʊ /
 In the case of independent comments said with the High Drop,
the speaker sounds mildly surprised (though he doesn’t
question the truth of the information given).

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 A: She’s thirty.
Examples B: Is she? (I thought she was twenty.) or
B: Is she? (I thought she was forty.)
/ ɪz ʃɪ /
Commands

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 When we use the High Drop to say commands, the speaker
sounds as if making a suggestion or recommending a course of
action, rather than giving an order. He really doesn’t mind
whether he will be obeyed.

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 A: What shall I do about this problem?
Examples B: Sleep on it!
/ sli:p ɒn ɪt /

B: Talk to your boss about the main issue.

/ tɔ:k tə jə bɒs əbaʊt ðə ౦meɪn ౦ɪʃu: /
Interjections

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 When we use the High Drop to say interjections, the speaker
sounds mildly surprised.

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 A: Good morning, mum.
Examples B: Good morning to you! (You woke up early
today!)
/ gʊd ౦mɔ:nɪŋ tə ju: /

A: Here’s your pen.

B: Thanks! (I thought I’d lost it.)
/ θæŋks /
Extremely
Important
Advice

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➔ Don’t despair. We know it’s a lot of new information to
absorb.
➔ Don’t rush. Give yourselves time to understand things. Let
new concepts sink in.

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➔ Concentrate on identifying the nucleus. You will be able to
use what you already know about sentence stress to identify
and mark the other elements (pre-head, onset & other
stressed syllables in the head and tail).

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