To show the speaker's attitude, to express feelings like surprise or irony, to emphasise, if we are happy, angry, confused, etc. It refers to the way in which we say something and not what we say.
You will find the main features of Intonation and the different types like Rising, Falling and Fall-Rise Intonation.
Listen to content to improve your pronunciation or translate if you need help with the comprehension.
Content Download
Resources to Learn Anytime
Download Content about this Chapter to Learn anytime. Exams, Questions and Audios to test your Learning Experience and Improve your English.
TeacherApp Premium
Learn English and Download Free Resources Without Ads or External Pages.
The Rising intonation indicates how the voice rises at the end of a sentence or phrase.
We use the Rising intonation in questions which answer is "Yes" or "No".
In a sentence or phrase, the Falling intonation indicates how the voice falls on the final stressed syllable.
We use the Falling intonation in Wh - Questions.
Questions beginning with...
- What
- When
- Where
- Who
- Etc.
Where’s the nearest
bank?(the tone of the voice falls in "Bank" because it is the last stressed syllable).
When we want the message to be very clear or we want to sound determined.
I think we are the
best.(The person who is talking definitely thinks they are the best).
The Fall-rise intonation refers to how the voice falls and then rises at the end of a sentence.
When we are not sure about what we are saying or when we want to add more info.
It's cloudy most of the time
.(but not all the time).
The person speaking wants to say that it's cloudy most of the time (but not all the time) without saying it.
When we want to sound polite, especially in questions when we request information or invite somebody to do something.
Would you like another tea
?(The person speaking sounds more polite).