Fall-Rise Intonation: English Pronunciation with Jennifer

Here's a quick exercise.

You ask someone for help,

"Could you help me?"

There are a few possible responses.

Listen. What does each response express?

All three times it's the same word,

but the intonation communicates a different meaning, right?

This first response sounds certain.

It uses falling intonation.

The second one is affirmative, but with enthusiasm.

It uses a rise-fall. It shows stronger emotion.

The person is basically saying,

"Yeah! I'd be happy to."

That last response sounds hesitant

because it uses a fall-rise.

The person is basically saying, "Yeah...but I need to know exactly what you want first.

I'll probably agree. Maybe. But tell me more."

Yeah.

In this lesson, we'll review and practice fall-rise intonation.

And we'll begin to consider some differences between formal and informal intonation.

[title]

In our previous lesson, we practiced a fall-rise intonation pattern.

It's when our voice drops from a higher pitch to a low one

and then rises a little.

As in "yeah."

I explained how we use the fall-rise intonation pattern a few different ways.

We can use a fall-rise after introductory words

and in the middle of a sentence to signal that there's more to come.

Here's an example.

We can use a fall-rise intonation pattern in lists

as an alternative to rising intonation.

Here's an example.

And we can use a fall-rise when we're counting...

perhaps to sound more certain or authoritative.

As in...

I've also mentioned that we can use a fall-rise

to suggest hesitancy...for some reason.

Many speakers use a fall-rise on the word "well." As in...

You try the fall-rise pattern.

Repeat after me.

We'll use a fall-rise to sound hesitant.

Here's a new use.

You might also hear fall-rise intonation in polite speech.

Compare two introductions.

Imagine I'm your tour guide. Listen.

The two introductions were similar but different.

Which one sounded more polite, more formal?

The second one.

Which one used a fall-rise intonation pattern?

The second one.

Listen again. I said:

The second time, I said:

So both the rise and the fall-rise suggest that there's more to come

and I end with falling intonation.

Now you try the fall-rise pattern to sound more polite.

Repeat after me.

We'll end with a special exercise.

Here's a text.

As you can see, it's not complete.

Feel free to pause and write down your own ideas to complete it.

Now I'll read the text with my own word choices.

But first, let's look together and decide

...where could we use a fall-rise intonation pattern?

In these places.

Remember a fall-rise can suggest that there's more to come.

Our thought is not finished yet.

We could also use a low rise...some rising intonation

also to suggest that there's more to come,

but we're going to practice this text with fall-rise intonation in these places.

It's your turn now.

Practice reading the text with your own ideas.

But be sure to practice the fall-rise intonation pattern in the right places.

That's all for now. Thanks for watching and happy studies!