Lesson 6 of 6
Intonation and Emphasis
Use your voice's rise and fall to sound natural, friendly and clear.
Intonation is the music of speech: the rise and fall of your voice. Flat intonation can make you sound bored or rude even when your words are polite. Native speakers also stress different words to change the meaning of the same sentence.
LearnThe key ideas
Rising and falling
| Type | Pitch | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statements | Falls ↘ | I live in Islamabad. ↘ |
| Wh-questions (what, where, why) | Falls ↘ | Where do you work? ↘ |
| Yes/no questions | Rises ↗ | Are you coming? ↗ |
| Lists | Rises, rises, falls | Tea ↗, coffee ↗, or juice? ↘ |
| Unfinished thought | Stays up → | I wanted to go, but... → |
Emphasis changes meaning
Take "I didn't say she stole the money" and stress a different word each time:
I didn't say... (someone else did). I DIDN'T say... (I never said it). I didn't SAY... (but I implied it). ...SHE stole... (someone else did). ...STOLE... (she borrowed it). ...the MONEY (she stole something else).
ListenListen and repeat
- Do you want some coffee? ↗A yes/no question rises.
- What time is it? ↘A wh-question falls.
- I really LOVE this place.Emphasis shows feeling.
- Would you like tea, coffee, or juice?List intonation.
AvoidCommon mistakes
SpeakShadowing practice
Press Listen, then repeat straight away, copying the speed, rhythm and tone. Say each sentence three times, then record yourself.
- Are you free tomorrow? ↗
- Where did you buy that? ↘ It's really nice.
- I didn't say she TOOK it, I said she BORROWED it.
CheckQuick quiz
1. "Where do you live?" usually:
2. "Is this your bag?" usually:
3. A monotone voice often sounds:
PracticeToday's speaking task
Record "I didn't say she stole the money" 7 times, stressing a different word each time. Listen back and explain each meaning.