Intonation-Practice

INTONATION PRACTICE 1

1. Fall on complete, definite statements.

This is the most common pattern in English.

Dialogue. (Practise with /p/)

A: Can I help you?

B: I hope so. I have a complaint. I bought a pullover in your shop. It was a beautiful pullover and very expensive.

A: What happened?

B: It was a present for a friend abroad. You said you could pack it, and post it for me. I was very pleased.

A: What’s the problem?

B: The parcel was damaged in the post. The paper came off. The pullover was spoilt.

A: Oh dear. I’m sorry the pullover was spoilt. But it happened in the post. So the Post Office is responsible.

B: The Post Office said that the parcel wasn’t properly packed. You are responsible.

A: We are very experienced at packing parcels. Lots of people send our pullovers as presents. We wrap hundreds of pullovers. I’m sure our parcel was properly packed.

B: I’d like to speak to the department manager please…

2. Fall on Wh-questions.

Person B, make sure your voice falls in the questions. Person A, concentrate on stressing the lexical words. Make sure the function words are unstressed. Try to hurry over these words. Say these words more quickly. Remember the stress-timed rhythm of English. Then swap roles.

Practice with /w/

A: William heard something wonderful last week.

B: What did he hear last week?

A: Winnie went to work at the same time last week.

B: What time did Winnie go to work?

A:Winnie had lunch in a winebar.

B: What winebar did Winnie have lunch in?

A: William went on holiday last Wednesday.

B: Where did he go on holiday?

A:Wendy went away on holiday a while ago.

B: When did she go away on holiday?

A:William went out through the window.

B: Why did he go out through the window? Which window did he go out through?

A: William wants wet weather next week.

B: Why does he want wet weather next week?

3.Alternative Questions –or questions.

The question rises on the first and falls on the second.

These have a falling tune at the end. The parts of the words which are underlined are louder, or stressed.

MENU

SOUP:

Potato soup or

pea soup

MEAT:

Pork or beef

VEGETABLES:

Beans or peas or carrots

DESSERT:

Ice-cream or peaches

Coffee or tea

Would you like coffee or tea?

Would you like pork or beef?

Would you like coffee, or milk or tea?

Now practise with using this menu.

Example:

A: Would you like X or Y?

B: I’d like X, please.

Now change roles.

4. Question Tags – falling.

The speaker is certain of what he/she says. He/she expects the other person to agree with him/her.

Practise. Say the following sentences, adding a question tag.

She looks terrible in blue, ..….

The brown raincoat is very large, …..

It’s the only one left, …..

The yellow raincoat is the right size,……

Brown is fashionable this year,…….

The brown and cream raincoats have all been sold, ……

5.Question Tags – rising.

The speaker is not certain. He/she is asking for confirmation. The voice rises on the question tag.

Tim Fitzwilliam isn’t English, is he?