RHYTHM AND INTONATION:

STRESSED AND UNSTRESSED

RHYTHM
A STRONG, REGULAR, REPEATED PATTERN OF MOVEMENT OR SOUND.

INTONATION
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE VOICE IN SPEAKING.

STRESSED
GIVE EMPHASIS TO (A SYLLABLE OR WORD) WHEN PRONOUNCING IT.

UNSTRESSED
NOT PRONOUNCED WITH STRESS.
MULTI-SYLLABLE WORDS
So far, we have covered only very basic words, mostly 1-2 syllables.

Being comfortable with longer words and saying them smoothly and
with the right rhythm and intonation is important for being easily
understood and communicating in decent English.
Keep in mind, stress is more complex than just long and short syllables.
Keep in mind the idea of intonation and flow. The pitch of an unstressed
syllable should flow into the stressed syllable, and vice versa. So a three-
syllable word, with stress on the second syllable, should feel like this:

Smooth and connected. The voice is always moving up and down, never
flat
Let’s start with three-syllable words. Multi-syllable words in English can
only have one syllable that has primary stress. That means we have
three options for stress: DA-da-da, da-DA-da, da-da-DA

Example:
https://rachelsenglish.com/word-stress-three-syllable-words/
https://rachelsenglish.com/listening-comprehension-3-syllable-words/
Practice this:
More practice:

More practice: https://rachelsenglish.com/american-english-

pronunciation-book-audio/#7-2
STRESSED WORDS
We’re ready to study the rhythm and intonation of sentences as we’ve
learned some important points:

Linking and flow: the melody of English is smooth.

Intonation: the melody or shape of a stressed syllable goes up and

then down in a curve, like this: ↷. Unstressed syllables will be flatter
and lower in pitch.

Rhythm: stressed syllables are longer, louder, and have more energy
in the voice. Unstressed syllables are very quick and are less clear.
Let’s look at the example da-DA-da. This is the stress pattern of
‘computer’, ‘example’, ‘another’. It’s also the stress pattern for the
phrases ‘I want it,’ ‘I need it’, ‘I saw you’, and ‘You know it’. Actually, the
flow, rhythm, and intonation of these words and phrases should be
exactly the same.

The words are made up of three syllables, and the phrases are made
up of three syllables, three 1- syllable words. Even though they are
three separate words, they should flow together just as much as the
three syllables of the longer words.

Video: https://rachelsenglish.com/pronounce-3-syllable-phrases/
Content Words VS Function Words

Content Words: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. They carry the most
important information, the most meaning. Their stressed syllables should
be the longest, loudest, and clearest.

“When can we go?” When is an adv, a content word. Can is a helping

verb, not a main verb, so it’s a function word. We is a pronoun, a
function word. Go is the main verb, a content word. We have two
content words: when and go. If I said just the words “When go”, the
meaning would still be clear, because they are the words with the
content of my thought. If I said “Can we”, the meaning is less clear: I’m
hoping we can do something, but what? Function words, rather than
including actual content, relate content words to each other within the
sentence.
Content Words VS Function Words in a sentence: https://rachelsenglish.com/content-words/
Sometimes one stressed word in a sentence will be clearer than other.

I need to leave at three,” and make three the loudest and most clear word.
Or, a native speaker might say “I need to leave at three,” and stress need
the most. That might signal a clarification:

>> Do you want to leave at three? [Is that convenient?]

>> I need to leave at three. [I don’t have any other options, if I leave after
that I’ll be late for an important meeting.]

There is no one right way to stress a sentence. It depends on what piece of

information is most important to the speaker
Practice Time

Audio: https://rachelsenglish.com/american-english-pronunciation-book-audio/#9-4
Sentences or parts of sentences that lead into another thought often go
up in pitch, to signal that there’s more to say. For example:
We found out the flight was cancelled, so everyone got upset.

Questions that can’t be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ follow this trend of
decreasing pitch, volume, and energy.
It is interesting to note that:

The intonation of a sentence affects the meaning. If the intonation goes

up, it means you’re expecting an answer or response.

For example, “They’re leaving now?” When the pitch goes up at the
end, it shows that you don’t know if they’re leaving now, and you’re
asking someone. If you said it with the pitch going down, it shows that
!
you do know and you’re telling someone: “They’re leaving now.”