Lesson Plan ericaroqueteacher@gmail.

com
Pronunciation Project

Simple Sentence Intonation – 10-minute lesson

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will understand suprasegmental intonation on simple sentences and be able to mimic
that intonation.

Necessary materials:

• Copies of “Simple Sentence Intonation”. (Can be printed double-sided)

Task and time Step-by-step Purpose

Introduce the Start the lesson by explaining how important Have the students start
idea of sentence intonation is. Take a simple sentence and say it thinking about
intonation. repeatedly with different intonation. For example: intonation and how
~2 min “Exercise is really healthy for the body”, Tell them that meaningful it is.
if a professor is talking in class (use a very monotone
voice), ask them how would they feel. What if your
professor says it naturally and with good intonation?
(Say the same sentence with good intonation). What if
you are in the gym and your coach says the same thing
(with an angry voice), how would they feel?
Tell them that intonation can express emotion,
purpose, and attitude.
Introduce the Tell them that declarative sentences usually go down. Have a controlled
rules to the If it goes up, it sounds unnatural. practice as they absorb
students Have them look at their handout and mimic the arrow new information.
~5 min movement with their hands:
Exercise is really healthy for the body.
Exercise is really healthy for the body.
Explain how the second one sounds like an answer.
Explain that when they use rising intonation for
statements, it sounds like the person is not sure about
what they are talking.
Very often, specially with non-native speakers,
intonation sounds different as people are unsure of a
word or how to pronounce it.
Also, explain that rising intonation is mostly used with
questions (There is a more detailed lesson plan just
focusing on question intonation).
Ask them to read the excerpt from a website of a local
restaurant to a partner (on the handout). Walk around
as they read it and help with any problems. Have them
move their hands down for declarative sentences,
they can also draw arrows to remind them of the
intonation.
Introduce 70% of native speakers – up, up, up, down Get students aware of
intonation rules the possible intonations
for lists. • I need to buy milk, noodles, detergent, and for lists.
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Pronunciation Project

~2 minutes

garbage liners.

30% of native speakers – down, down, down, down

• I need to buy milk, noodles, detergent, and

garbage liners.

Ask them to say that sentence naturally and ask what

sounds more natural to them. Explain that neither is
wrong, but one is definitely more common.
Produce Practice Ask the students to read the little dialogue between a Have a freer practice for
~2 min Dad and his adult daughter about their schedule. Tell the students to exercise
them to note that there are declarative statements, their new knowledge
questions and list intonations in the dialogue. Once
again, they can use their hands and draw arrows on
their handout.
Go around the room, fix any mistakes you see, clear
any questions, and finish the lesson.
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Pronunciation Project

Simple Sentence Intonation

General Rules:
Declarative statements go down in intonation.

Exercise is really healthy for the body.

Exercise is really healthy for the body.

Questions usually go down.

Do you want to build a snowman?

Do you want to build a snowman?

Exercise
Excerpt from the website of a local restaurant.

The year was 1997. The place, a little town in southern Utah called St. George. A lovely couple named

Steve and Patricia Stanley started a restaurant called Cafe Rio Mexican Grill. Cafe Rio served authentic

dishes derived from inspired recipes and traditional cooking of Northern Mexico’s Rio Grande region,

Southern Texas, and New Mexico. Central to every bite was the belief that every ingredient must be

fresh and made fresh to order. And you know what? People loved it.

Not a rule, but very interesting:

70% of native speakers – up, up, up, down

• I need to buy milk, noodles, detergent, and

garbage liners.

30% of native speakers – down, down, down, down

• I need to buy milk, noodles, detergent, and

garbage liners.
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Pronunciation Project

Exercise:
A: It was good to talk to you, Dad. I have to hang up now.

B: Wait, where are you going?

A: Well, first I have to go to the grocery store, the bank, then I’m going to the pharmacy

with the kids, Then I’ll come home later.

B: But don’t the kids have soccer practice?

A: No, they have practice every Thursday.

B: Would you like to come over after you’re done?

A: Sure. We’ll see you around 5:00.