Lesson No 36B-Intonation And Stress Patterns In English

Table of Contents

Intonation and Stress Patterns in English

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech. It helps convey meaning, emotion, and emphasis.

Stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables or words within a sentence. It can affect the meaning and pronunciation of words.

Here are some key points about intonation and stress patterns in English:

Rising intonation: Used for questions, exclamations, and to show surprise or interest.
- Example: “Is that your new car?”
Falling intonation: Used for statements, commands, and to show finality.
- Example: “I like pizza.”
Rising-falling intonation: Used to express a combination of surprise and finality.
- Example: “You’re kidding!”

Word stress: The emphasis placed on a particular syllable within a word.
- Example: “photograph”
Sentence stress: The emphasis placed on certain words within a sentence to highlight the most important information.
- Example: “I really like that book.”

Listen to native English speakers: Pay attention to how they use intonation and stress to convey meaning.
Practice shadowing: Repeat spoken English sentences immediately after hearing them to mimic their intonation and stress patterns.
Use a dictionary or online resources: Many dictionaries and online resources provide information about word stress and pronunciation.
Record yourself: Listening to your own speech can help you identify areas where you need to improve your intonation and stress.

Here are some more examples and exercises to practice intonation and stress in English:

1. Identify the intonation pattern in the following sentences:

2. Practice saying the following sentences with the correct stress patterns:

3. Record yourself saying the following sentences and listen to your intonation and stress patterns:

4. Practice reading aloud passages from English books or articles. Pay attention to the intonation and stress patterns used by the author.