Oral: Intonation – SS2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

Intonation and stress are very important in spoken English. The meaning of an utterance is affected, not only by stress but also by the variations in the pitch of a voice.

When one speaks the voice or pitch changes; becomes high or low depending on the meaning the speaker intends.

The sentence intonation patterns are:

1. Falling Tune: The falling tune is usually used in declarative sentences, commands, exclamations and wh-questions.

a) Statements

• Joy works hard in school.
• Emeka has given the book to her.

 b) Commands

• Keep the books on my table
• Stand under the tree.

 c) Why – question

• Why are you very late?
• Who gave you the information?

 d) Exclamations

• What a good result!
• How pretty she is!

2. Rising Tune: The rising tune is used in:

a) Polar Questions (questions which demand only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as an answer). E.g:

• Is the wine sweet?
• Will Monday be good for it?
• Did you eat last night?    

b) Utterances showing indifference 

• You can do what you want
• I think that’s right.                

c) Listing items.

• One, two, three and four.
• We need some rice, beans, fish and meat.

 In enumeration, the final item in the list is usually said in a falling tune.  Although the falling and rising intonation patterns are the two basic pitch patterns, the two pitch movements can be combined in long sentences:

a) Rise and fall pattern. E.g:

• While the boys were working, the girls were playing.
• When the rain comes, I‘ll plant my seed yams.

b) Fall and rise pattern

• The students are happy, aren’t they? 
• You can do it, can’t you?