Accent Diet: Intonation Lesson 5 Practice 5 – #80300

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Accent Diet: Intonation Lesson 5 Practice 5 – #80300

english pronunciation practiceLISTEN

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english pronunciation practicePRACTICE

Read and practice these intonation rules.

1. General Statements a) Just like on informational questions, statements require a rising and falling pitch on the final stressed word of each phrase. b) If the stressed word is not the last word, then the pitch rises on the stressed word and falls on the final word of the sentence.
  1-a) I need to call him tomorrow. 1-b) Sorry to interrupt you.
    I need to call him tomorrow at the latest.

   Let me talk to him.

2. Series a) Statements that list a series of words have a rising pitch on each word in the series and falling pitch on the final word.
b) In a list that is not finished (an “open” series), the pitch rises on every item in the series. (This indicates there are more options.)

  2-a) We’re meeting the CEO, CFO and the COO. 2-b) My hobbies are running, surfing, skiing...
     I called, faxed, and emailed him.   We need to talk to James, Beth, Paul...
3. Introductory Words and Phrases
a) If you begin your sentence with introductory words, the pitch should rise and fall on the introductory words.
b) The introductory words can also have a rise-fall-rise pitch pattern.
  3-a) Actually, I’m not going. 3-b) Actually, I’m not going.
    On the other hand, it’s expensive.   On the other hand, it’s expensive.
4. Additional Information If you add additional information into the middle of your sentence, you need to show that it is not part of the main sentence. You do this by flattening the intonation, saying the information quickly, and adding a pause at the beginning and end of the extra phrase.

  4) The president,   /   I think he went
to your university,   /   will be there.

5. Sarcasm You can say the opposite of what you mean by stretching the word that is not true, and by using stretched rising and falling intonation. Keep the rest of the sentence flat.

  5) I just l  o  v  e having my performance review.
(You don't really love it.)		   He has the f  r  i  e  n  d  l  i  e  s  t personality.
(He is not friendly.)

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