Oral: Falling Tone Statements – SS2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

The falling tone is indicated with an arrow pointing in a downward direction (\). It is used to indicate when the pitch of the voice falls.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• state what the falling tone is and how it is marked;
• list the five uses of the falling tone;
• read statements, commands, exclamations, answers to yes or no questions and wh questions with a falling tone;
• mark the falling tone correctly on given sentences.

When do we use the falling tone?

The falling tone has five uses.

1. In statements. For example:
   • John works hard in school. \
   • She got it right. \
2. In giving commands. For example:
   • Leave the door open. \
   • Close the door quickly. \
3. In exclamations. For example:
   • Oh, my Lord! \
   • How awful! \
4. In responding to yes or no questions. For example:
   • Are they here? Yes \
   • Will they come? No \
5. In asking wh questions. For example:
   • Why are you not happy? \
   • What is your name? \

Words for the week

• Monumental
• Moot
• Luxuriant
• Intrude
• Succinct
• Wheedle
• Brochure
• Herbivore
• Spasmodic
• Medley

Evaluation

1. What is the falling tone, and how is it marked?
2. State the five uses of the falling tone.
3. Read these sentences aloud with a falling tone and mark each one with the arrow: “What is your name?”, “How awful!”, “Close the door quickly.”
4. Give one example of a statement and one example of a command that take the falling tone.

Assignment

Write two examples for each of the five uses of the falling tone. Mark the falling tone on each sentence with the arrow (\).