English Intonation

Nuclear Tones in English
Low Falling Tone
Low Rising Tone
High Falling Tone
High Rising Tone
Falling Rising Tone
Rising Falling Tone

Contour typology
IC1 – Low fall
IC2- Low rise
IC3 – High fall
IC4- High rise
IC5- Fall rise
IC6- Rise fall
I think I’ll be free on Sunday.
Can you tell me the time?
I’d like to try it again.
Had a good holiday?
It’ll be hard to prove.
I’d love to live in a house like that.
I quite agree with you.

Low Falling Tone
Assertive
Final
Categorical
Reserved
Cool
Quiet
Hostile

Low Falling Tone
only nucleous = 1 syllable
No.
Do.
Who?
Why?
Fine.
Good.
Right.

Low Falling Tone
Nucleous + Tail
Have you?
Is it?
Can’t you?
Does he?
Wire him.
Wait for her.
Show me one.

Low Falling Tone
Prehead +Nucleous+Tail
She had to.
I’d like to.
Of course not.
A friend of mine.
She wasn’t there.
You must tell me.
One can feel it.

Low Falling Tone
Head (one syllable) + Nucleous
‘Come here.
Sit down.
Don’t leave.
Look out.
Ask John.
How strange.
What for?
Where to?

Low Falling Tone
Prehead+Stepping head+ Nucleous+Tail
She asked me to go.
He doesn’t speak much English.
He is never very punctual.
He left the room without a word.
I saw her standing all alone.
Then turn to the right at the end of the street .

Low Rising Tone.
Non final
Encouraging
Questioning
Polite

Low Rising Tone
(Nucleous only)
Yes.
Mind.
Run
Now.
Who?
Why?
Watch.
Stop.
Good.

Low Rising Tone
(Nucleous+Tail)
Gently.
Always.
Is there?
Can’t you?
Have one.
That side.
Hasn’t she?
Wait a bit.

Low rising Tone
(Prehead+Nucleous+Tail)
Remember.
They couldn’t.
Is he happy?
You must tell me.
He’d wait for us.
There wasn’t one.
He’s done with it.

Low Rising Tone
(Head+Nucleous)
That’s good.
That’s all.
Never mind.
I’ll see.
Not yet.
Why not.
How soon?
Can you come to lunch tomorrow?
Shall I answer the door?
Have you heard the latest news?
Can you tell me the shortest way to the station?

Low Falling and Low Rising Tones
(Comparison)
Fall
Yes.
No.
Stop.
Does he?
Aren’t you?
Wait for them.
Wire him.
Rise
Yes.
No.
Stop?
Does he?
Aren’t you?
Wait for them?
Wire him?

High Falling Tone
Nucleus only
Yes.
Fine.
Wait.
More.
Pull.
Let’s.
Fancy!
Nucleus + tail
Always.
Really.
Can you?
Stop it.
Mightn’t they?
Wait for them.
Certainly.

High Falling Tone
Prehead+Nucleous+Tail
Good gracious!
How lovely!
Good morning.
It’s risky.
They may have.
The first one.
He’d wait for us.
Head+Nucleous
‘Why not?
‘Well done!
‘That’s that.
‘I say!
‘How strange.
‘Look out!
‘Thank you!
‘Bad luck!

High Falling Tone
Prehead+Head+Nucleous+Tail
I ‘think you’d ‘better ‘ask the others.
It’s ‘always ‘better to wait.
I ‘couldn’t say ‘NO to you.
In ‘spring it ‘rains a lot.
‘Nobody ‘told me ‘what to do about it.
‘Skiing is the ‘sport for you.

Low fall vs High Fall vs Low Rise
Tones for camparison

High Rising Tone
Echo question

High Rising Tone
Only Nucleous
Who?
Now?
Me?
What?
Where?
Nucleous + Tail
Really?
Badly?
Like it?
Suit me?
My fault?

High Rising Tone
Prehead+ Nucleous+Tail
You like him?
She had to?
You’ve lost it?
It’s a new one?
It’s an extra?
Head+Nucleous
‘Ask John?
‘Not true?
‘Too big?
‘Good fit?
‘What for?
Hold tight?
No news?

High Rising Tone
Prehead+Head+Nucleous+Tail
A’nother ‘cup of tea?
You ‘don’t reg’ret it?
You ‘want it ‘back?
It’s ‘not the ‘one you want?
It ‘won’t incon venience you?
She ‘married ‘Mary’s brother?
‘Something the matter, Ann?
‘Back al ready, Mr Grey?
‘Don’t worry, did you say?

Tones for Comparison

Falling- Rising Tone
Emphasizing
Contradicting
Implication

Falling- Rising Tone

Falling- Rising Tone
Prehead+Head+Nucleous
You ‘said she was.
We ‘don’t like it.
He ‘can’t hear me.
I’m ‘not wanted.
You ‘can’t go without a hat.
We ‘know where it is.

Fall Rise divided

Tones for comparison

Rising – Falling Tone
Impressed
Humorous
Mocking
Surprised

Rising – Falling Tone
One-syllable type
Do.
Two.
Me.
Try.
Two – syllable type
Either.
Always.
Ask him.
Clearly.
Keep it.

Rising -Falling Tone
(three syllable type)
Naturally.
Gratitude.
Positive.
Probably.
Perfectly.
You can go.
That was good.