Understanding Intonation: Falling & Rising Patterns

What is Intonation?

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of the voice when speaking. It is an important aspect of spoken English that can change the meaning of a sentence.

There are two basic intonation patterns:

• Falling Intonation: The pitch of the voice falls at the end of the sentence.
• Rising Intonation: The pitch of the voice rises at the end of the sentence.

Falling Intonation

Falling intonation is often used in:

• Statements: "I am going home."
• Commands: "Close the door."
• Wh-questions: "Where are you going?"

In these cases, the pitch starts high and falls towards the end of the sentence.

Rising Intonation

Rising intonation is typically used in:

• Yes/No questions: "Are you coming?"
• Question tags when confirming: "You're coming, aren't you?"

Here, the pitch starts low and rises at the end of the sentence.

Examples

Example 1: Falling Intonation

"The sky is blue." (statement)

"Sit down." (command)

"What time is it?" (wh-question)

Example 2: Rising Intonation

"Is it raining?" (yes/no question)

"You're finished, aren't you?" (question tag)