RISING AND

FALLING
INTONATION
 WHAT IS INTONATION?

Intonation is rising and falling of the voice in speech

TWO MAIN INTONATION PATTERNS

RISING INTONATION FALLING INTONATION

RISING INTONATION
The voice rises at the end of the sentence.
We use rising intonation with :

1. Yes /No questions

For example:
Do you like swimming?
Are you kidding?

2. Exclamations expressing surprise & disbelief

For example:
Oh my God!
What a surprise!
3. Questions tags that show uncertainty and require an answer
(real questions).

For example:

We've met already, ➚haven't we?

You like fish, ➚don't you?
FALLING INTONATION
The voice rises earlier in the sentence then falls at the end of the
sentence.
We use falling intonation with :
1. WH- questions
For example:
Who did you go with?
Where have you been?

2. Commands
For example:
Stop talking!
Hurry up!
FALLING INTONATION

We use falling intonation with :

3. Statements
For example:
I don’t like chocolate.
I haven’t been to Paris.

4. Questions Tags that are statements requesting confirmation rather

than questions. Not all tag questions are really questions.
He thinks he’s so clever, doesn’t ↘he?
 PRONOUNCATION ACTIVITY

SAY ‘HOW ARE YOU?’

• To someone you haven’t seen for a long time.

• To someone who has lost one of his/her relative.
• To your manager
• To someone who is in the hospital.
• To your friend at the beginning of the day.
TUTKU SARACOGLU