Intonation

Rhythm and Intonation

by Carlos Prado G.

​Rising and falling intonation

​a) Open questions usually take a rising intonation at the end, e.g.:

Are you free today? Is it due tomorrow? Have you ever taught that level?

​

b) Wh-questions usually take a falling intonation at the end, e.g.:

Where have you been lately?Why did you choose that activity?

​

c) Afirmative and negative statements usually take a falling intonation at the end, e.g.:

I find it hard to teach pronunciation. You don't have to teach every sound for students to be comprehensible.

Multiple Select

Which of the following will take a RISING intonation?

• Do you have a pencil I can borrow?

• I don't think so.

• Will a pen do the trick?

• Can I answer the test with a pen?

Multiple Select

Which of the following will take a FALLING intonation?

• What are you doing after class?

• Do you need some help?

• Yes, I'm having trouble with the new platform. 

• Why don't you contact the help desk?

​Rhythm and stress

A rule of thumb for rhythm is to stress content words. Content words are mainly: nouns,verbs, adjectives, adverbs, wh-question words and negatives.

​The words that are not stressed are function words.

• ​I have a couple of things to discuss.

• ​Do you think the activity will suit basic students?

• ​What a great idea!

• ​I can't see anything from this old photocopy.

Multiple Choice

Read the sentences. Which words are more likely to be stressed?

"How do you organize a pronunciation activity?"

• how / you/ organize / activity

• how / you/ organize / a pronunciation /activity

• how / organize / pronunciation/ activity

Multiple Choice

Read the sentences. Which words are more likely to be stressed?

"On second thought, you might want to contact the manager."

• second / thought / want / contact / manager

• thought / want to / contact / the manager

• On second / thought / might want / contact / manager

Multiple Choice

Read the sentences. Which words are more likely to be stressed?

"Open your book to page 37 and look at the pictures."

• Open / you book / page / 37 / look at / pictures

• Open / book / page / 37 / look / pictures

• Open / book / page / 37 / and / look / the pictures

Reading activity

Read the following article on the rhythm of the language. Choose the best option to answer the questions. ​

​https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/rhythm

Multiple Choice

Content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs) and function words (articles, auxiliary verbs, prepositions etc.) are also called:

• lexical and grammatical words

• Loud and soft

• important and non-important

Multiple Choice

According to the article, English is a ____-timed language and Spanish is a _____-timed language, which may explain why pronunciation for understanding and production can be challenging.

• rhythm / cadence

• stress / syllable

• German / Roman

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT mentioned as a way to teach rhythm?

• Use natural language themselves in the classroom

• Teach recognition before production

• Encourage learners to listen carefully to authentic speech

• Give a lecture on what rhythm, intonation, assimilation, deletion and linking are.

Multiple Choice

According to the text, teaching and prating the rhythm of the language benefits only the production of the language. 

• True

• False

Thank you​

​Have a great day