Falling and Rising Intonation in English

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of the voice when speaking. It helps express emotions, clarify meaning, and signal the type of sentence being used. Today, we’ll focus on two of the most common patterns: falling intonation and rising intonation

Falling Intonation



Definition:

Falling intonation happens when the pitch of the voice drops at the end of a sentence. It’s commonly used in:

  • Statements
  • Wh- questions
  • Commands
  • Confirmations
Examples:
  1. I don’t want to talk about it.

  2. What time does the movie start?

Rising Intonation



Definition:

Rising intonation happens when the pitch of the voice goes up at the end of a sentence. It’s commonly used in:

  • Yes/No questions
  • Uncertainty or doubt
  • Checking or clarifying information
Examples:
  1. Do you really think so?

  2. Is this your first time here?

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