LESSON NOTE

English Language — Phonology

[Link]

Subject: English Language

Topic: Intonation
Level: Secondary / Tertiary
Duration: 60 Minutes
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students should be able to define intonation,
identify the types of intonation, explain the functions of intonation, and use intonation
correctly in spoken English.

1. What is Intonation?
When we speak, we do not say all words at the same pitch or level. Sometimes our
voice goes up, sometimes it goes down, and sometimes it stays level. This rise and fall
of the voice while speaking is called intonation.
Think of intonation as the melody of a language. Just as music has highs and lows,
speech also has a musical quality. Intonation tells the listener what you mean — even
beyond the actual words you use.
For example, the sentence "You passed the exam" can mean different things depending
on how you say it:
• Said with a rising voice → it sounds like a question (Are you sure?)
• Said with a falling voice → it sounds like a statement (I am telling you the fact)
• Said with a rise-fall → it could sound like surprise or sarcasm

Definition: Intonation is the variation in the pitch of the voice when speaking.
It is the rise and fall of the voice that gives meaning, attitude, and emotion to
what we say.

2. Why is Intonation Important?

Intonation is one of the most powerful tools in spoken English. It helps us to:
• Show whether we are asking a question or making a statement
• Express emotions like surprise, anger, happiness, sarcasm, or doubt
• Show whether we have finished speaking or have more to say
• Distinguish between sincere and sarcastic statements
• Make our speech sound natural, polite, or rude
Without intonation, speech would sound flat and robotic, making it very difficult for
listeners to understand our full meaning. Two people can say the exact same sentence
but mean completely different things — just by changing their intonation.

3. Types of Intonation
There are three main types of intonation in English. Each type has a different function
and is used in different situations.

Type 1: Falling Intonation ( ↘ )

Falling intonation means the voice starts at a higher pitch and goes DOWN at the end of
the sentence. It is the most common type of intonation in English.
When do we use Falling Intonation?
• In statements (giving information or facts)
• In Wh- questions (What, Where, Who, When, Why, How)
• In commands and instructions
• In exclamations
• At the end of a list

Examples:
Sentence Type Intonation
She is a teacher. ↘ Statement Falling
Where are you going? ↘ Wh- Question Falling
Close the door. ↘ Command Falling
What a beautiful day! ↘ Exclamation Falling
I bought oranges, mangoes, and pears. End of list Falling
↘

Type 2: Rising Intonation ( ↗ )

Rising intonation means the voice goes UP at the end of the sentence. It usually signals
that something is unfinished, or that the speaker is asking for confirmation or
information.
When do we use Rising Intonation?
 • In Yes/No questions
• When listing items (except the last item — which falls)
• When asking someone to repeat something
• To show that the sentence is not finished
• To sound polite or friendly

Examples:
Sentence Type Intonation
Are you coming? ↗ Yes/No question Rising
Did she pass the exam? ↗ Yes/No question Rising
I bought oranges ↗, mangoes ↗, and List (mid-items Rising then Falling
pears. ↘ rise)
Sorry? ↗ / Pardon? ↗ Request to repeat Rising
When I finish school ↗ ... (I will travel) Unfinished Rising
sentence

Type 3: Rise-Fall ( ↗↘ ) and Fall-Rise ( ↘↗ )

A. Rise-Fall Intonation ( ↗↘ )
The voice first goes UP then comes DOWN. This is used to express strong feelings like
surprise, admiration, sarcasm, or triumph.
Examples:
"You actually did it! ↗↘" — (said with genuine amazement)
"Oh, really? ↗↘" — (could sound sarcastic or surprised)
"What a brilliant idea! ↗↘" — (admiration)

B. Fall-Rise Intonation ( ↘↗ )
The voice goes DOWN then comes back UP. This is used to show doubt, uncertainty, a
polite disagreement, or that there is something more to say.
Examples:
"I suppose so... ↘↗" — (not fully convinced)
"It's not bad... ↘↗" — (polite disagreement or reservation)
"He might come ↘↗" — (uncertain)
4. Functions of Intonation
Intonation serves several important functions in spoken English. Let us look at each
one:

i. Attitudinal Function
Intonation tells the listener the speaker's attitude — whether they are happy, angry,
surprised, bored, polite, or rude. The same sentence can carry very different attitudes
depending on intonation.
"Nice work." — said with a falling tone = genuine praise. Said with a rise-fall =
sarcasm.
ii. Grammatical Function
Intonation helps distinguish between different types of sentences — statements,
questions, commands, and exclamations — even without looking at punctuation.
"You're leaving." (falling = statement) vs. "You're leaving?" (rising = question)
iii. Discourse Function
Intonation signals whether a speaker has finished talking or wants to continue. A falling
tone at the end of a sentence tells the listener: 'I am done.' A rising or level tone
suggests: 'I have more to say.'
"I went to the market ↗, bought some food ↗, came home ↗, and cooked dinner.
↘"
iv. Accentual Function
Intonation helps emphasise the most important word or idea in a sentence. The word
that receives the most emphasis (the tonic syllable) is the one that gets the highest pitch
change.
"SHE broke the window." (not someone else) vs. "She BROKE the window." (not
just cracked it)

5. Intonation vs. Stress — What is the Difference?

Students often confuse intonation with stress. Here is a simple comparison:

Stress Intonation
Definition Emphasis on a syllable or Rise and fall of the whole
word voice
 Level Works on syllables and words Works across whole
sentences
Shows Which word/syllable is Attitude, emotion, sentence
important type
Example PHO-to-graph, re-CORD Voice going up ↗ or down ↘

6. Tone Units and the Tonic Syllable

When we speak, we naturally divide our speech into small chunks called tone units
(also called tone groups). Each tone unit contains one main syllable that gets the most
pitch movement — this is called the tonic syllable.
Example: "She WENT to the MARKET yesterday." — the underlined words carry
the tonic stress.
The tonic syllable is where the intonation change (rise or fall) is most noticeable. The
rest of the tone unit either leads up to it or follows it at the same level.

7. Practice — Same Sentence, Different Intonation

Read the sentence below with different intonation and notice how the meaning changes
completely:

Sentence: "You are coming tomorrow."

"You are coming tomorrow. ↘" — A simple statement of fact. (Falling)
"You are coming tomorrow? ↗" — A question asking for confirmation. (Rising)
"You are coming tomorrow! ↗↘" — Strong surprise or disbelief. (Rise-Fall)
"You are coming tomorrow... ↘↗" — Uncertainty or gentle doubt. (Fall-Rise)

Sentence: "She passed."

"She passed. ↘" — Stating a fact. (Falling)
"She passed? ↗" — Asking in disbelief or surprise. (Rising)
"She PASSED. ↗↘" — Amazed and impressed. (Rise-Fall)
8. Intonation in Questions — A Key Rule
One of the most important rules students must remember about intonation is how it
works in questions:

Question Type Intonation Example

Yes/No Questions Rising ↗ Are you ready? ↗
Wh- Questions Falling ↘ Where do you live? ↘
Tag Questions Rising ↗ It's hot today, isn't it? ↗
(expecting YES)
Tag Questions (just Falling ↘ You're Emeka, aren't you?
confirming) ↘
Alternative Questions Rising then Falling Do you want tea ↗ or
coffee? ↘

9. Evaluation / Class Activity

Ask students to attempt the following exercises:
1. State whether each sentence requires a rising or falling intonation and explain
why:
a) What time does the lesson begin?
b) Have you eaten today?
c) Lagos is a very busy city.
d) She's your sister, isn't she? (you're not sure)
e) What a surprise!
2. Read the following sentences aloud using the correct intonation — your teacher
will assess you:
a) "I can't believe you passed!"
b) "He went to the market, bought food, and came home."
c) "Do you prefer English or Mathematics?"
3. In your own words, explain the difference between rising and falling intonation
and give two examples of each.

10. Summary
• Intonation is the rise and fall of the voice when speaking.
• There are three main types: Falling (↘), Rising (↗), and Rise-Fall / Fall-Rise (↗↘
/ ↘↗).
• Falling intonation is used for statements, Wh- questions, commands, and
exclamations.
• Rising intonation is used for Yes/No questions, lists (mid-items), and unfinished
sentences.
• Rise-Fall expresses strong emotion, surprise, or sarcasm.
• Fall-Rise expresses doubt, uncertainty, or polite reservation.
• Intonation serves attitudinal, grammatical, discourse, and accentual functions.
• Correct intonation makes English sound natural, polite, and clear.

End of Lesson Note | Prepared by: [Link] | Date: ___________________