There are four communicative types of sentences:

1. Statements, е. д. I like music.

2. Questions, e. g. Can you prove it?

3. Imperative sentences or commands, e. g. Try it again.

4. Exclamations, e. g. Right you are!

The intonation pattern of the non-final intonation-group., mainly its nuclear

tone, is determined by the semantic value of the intonation-group and by its

connection with the following one.

The falling nuclear tone shows that the non-final intonation-group is

complete, important by itself and is not so closely connected with the following

intonation-group.

A longer pause after an intonation-group pronounced with the falling tone

makes the intonation-group even more significant.

e. g. I'll -> tell him vall | when he vcomes.

The rising nuclear tone shows that the non-final intonation-group is closely

connected in meaning with the following intonation-group, is not important by

itself and implies continuation.

e. g. -> Generally,speaking, 11 pre->fervtennis.

The intonation pattern is also modified by the speaker's attitude towards his

utterance:

e. g. vWhy? — detached, even unsympathetic. /Why? —

wondering.

In English notional words (nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc.) are generally

stressed. Form-words and most pronouns (personal and possessive mainly) are

generally unstressed. But any part of speech may be stressed if it is semantically

important.

е. д. V What is he 'going to ^do? — do is the communicative

centre.

-> What is vhe going to do? he is the communicative

—

centre.

METHOD OF INDICATING INTONATION ON THE STAVES

Unstressed syllables are represented by dots, stressed syllables are marked by

dashes or curves.

A dash represents a level tone. _ A downward curve represents

the final fall. *\

' An upward curve represents the final rise.

Two parallel lines (staves) represent the upper and the lower

limits of human voice or the range of the voice. _________________

The temporal component of intonation can be indicated graphically only as

far as pauses are concerned.

Two vertical bars 11 denote a long pause, which usually occurs at the end of

a sentence.

A single vertical bar | denotes a short pause inside a sentence.

FUNDAMENTAL INTONATION PATTERNS AND THEIR 11Щ

Section One

Intonation Pattern I

(LOW PRE-HEAD + ) LOW FALL ( + TAIL)

M o d e l s : Pve just seen Tom. vWhere? "\

Whose book is this? ^Mary's, I .think. \ ^

What's his job? He's a xdoctor.

Stress-and-tone marks in the text: Low Fall: |v | Half-

stressed syllables: |, |

Unstressed syllables have no graphic indication in the text.

The Low Fall in the nucleus starts from the mid-level or lower and usually

reaches the lowest level.

The unstressed syllabtes which form the tail are pronounced on the lowest

level pitch. The unstressed syllables forming the pre-head are pronounced either

on the low level pitch or rise gradually.

This intonation pattern is used:

l . I n s t a t e m e n t s , final,categoric,calm,reserved.

e. gr. Whose book is this? It's ^Mother's.

—

2. I n s p e c i a l q u e s t i o n s , calm, serious, fliat, reserved, very

often unsympathetic.

e. gr. One book is missing. — vWhich?

3.I n i m p e r a t i v e s , calm,unemotional,serious.

е. д. Г11 send it to him. — xDon't.

How can I get in touch with Nick? — vPhone him.

4. I n e x c l a m a t i o n s , calm, unsurprised, reserved.

e. g. Would you like an apple? — vThank you. He's just

arrived. — vFine!

EXERCISES

LOW FALL ONLY

M o d e l : vYes. "*\

1. ap Listen carefully to the Concentrate your attention on the

Verbal Context

Can you come tomorrow? Whose book is this?

When can you do it? Where does he come from?

What subject do you prefer? What's your name?

following conversational situations, intonation of the replies.

Drill S t a t e m e n t s (final, categoric, calm, reserved)

Yes.

Mine.

Yours.

His.

Jack's.

John's.

Tom's.

Anne's.

Now.

Soon.

France.

Spain.

Wales.

French.

Maths.

Smith.

Jones.

Brown.

1 Material for exercises marked with one asterisk is borrowed from the book by J. D

O'Connor, G. F Arnold "Intonation of Colloquial English", L , 1956, 1973

Take only one of them.

Just tell him.

Make them at once.

I saw a friend of yours today.

Borrow someone's dictionary.

Would you mind calling your dog ?

Shall we have another game?

He's just arrived.

S p e c i a l q u e s t i o n s

(calm, flat, reserved, serious, very often unsympathetic)

Which?

What?

How?

Who?

Whose?

I m p e r a t i v e s

(calm, unemotional, serious) Heel. Sit.

Down. Here. Let's.

E x c l a m a t i o n s

(calm, unsurprised) Oh! Right! Good! Fine!

b) Listen to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Make your voice fall as

low as possible, c) Listen to the verbal context and reply in the interval.

LOW FALL + TAIL

M o d e l : Yes,, Mary. ^\

x

0 #

2. a) Listen carefully to the following conversational situations* Concentrate your

attention on the intonation of the replies:

Verbal Context Drill

S t a t e m e n t s

(final, categoric, calm, reserved)

Where do you come from? India.

Poland.

Sweden.

Denmark.

Italy.

Norway.

Holland.

England.

Scotland.

Ireland.

How old are you? Seven.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Forty.

Will you send it to me?

Yes, sir.

No, John. Gladly, madam. Certainly, professor.

S p e c i a l q u e s t i o n s

(calm, serious, flat, reserved, very often

unsympathetic)

Pass me that box, Joan.

He's away quite often.

She's got something in her eye.

He's broken a window.

Which box? How often? Which eye? Who has? Whose window? Whose

window, may I ask? Whose window has he broken?

I m p e r a t i v e s (calm, unemotional, serious)

How can I get in touch with Miles? Phone him.

Wire him. Write to him.

E x c l a m a t i o n s

(calm, unsurprised) T h a n k y o u .

Would you like an apple? N o n s e n s e ! R u b b i s h ! P i t y !

Oh, I'm cold.

I've lost my ball.

b) Listen to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Make your voice fall as low

as possible. Do not forget to blend the words together, c) Listen to the verbal context

and reply in the interval.

LOW PRE-HEAD 4- LOW FALL ( + TAIL)

Model: He's a vteacher. 1f

3. a)* Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your

attention on the intonation of the replies:

Verbal Context

Whose pen is this?

Drill

S t a t e m e n t s

(final, categoric, calm, reserved)

Patricia's. Diana's. Elizabeth's. It's mine. It's Freddie's. It's Christine's. It's