1 A: What are your plans for the holiday? – B: I haven’t made up my mind yet. (serious, neutral) 2 A: Why have you refused to come? – B: I was unwell (reserved). 3 A: Why was Jack reported to the police? – B: He stole a suitcase! (involved). 4 A: What do you think of my jacket? – B: It suits you perfectly! (enthusiastic) 5 A: I like that crystal bowl. – B: Which do you mean? (cool, phlegmatic) 6 A: That pen is useless. – B: Would you borrow mine? (friendly) 7 A: What shall I do about the letter? – B; Forget it! (strong, insistent) 8 A: Let’s meet another day. – B: Could I talk to you now? (strong, expecting confirmation) 9 A: When shall I come? – B: Come as soon as you can. (disinterested, cool) 10 A: It’ll take too much time. – B: Will you stick to the point? (insistent). 11 B: Have you met Bess lately? – B: Not since last Sunday. (weighty, serious). 12 A: The most common name in the world is Mohammed. – B: Where did you read that? (neutral) 13 A: What does it cost? – B: More than you think. (protesting, irritated). 14 A: How did you get to the office? – B: I walked. (reserved, calm)
Ex. 5 Show the movement of the voice graphically:
Low Fall only: Where?
Low Fall +tail: Yes, Mary.
Low prehead +Low Fall (+tail): He’s a teacher.
(Low Prehead+) High Head+ Low fall (+tail): How much does it cost? --More than you can afford.
(Low prehead+) Stepping head +Low Fall (+tail): Alice was beginning to get very tired.
(Low prehead+) High Fall) (+tail): Much too expensive.
Ex. 6 a) match the right verbal context with the answer; b) pronounce the drills with the tone variety proposed in the left column; c) choose the right epithet describing the way you sound.
Table 8
| Scale + tone | How you sound | Statement | Special Question | General Question | Imperative | Exclamation | |
| Verbal context: Whose book is this? Borrow someone’s dictionary. Shall we have another game? He’s just arrived. Will you send it to me? Pass me that box, Joan. How can i get in touch with Miles? I’ve lost my ball. Whose pen is this? You’ll find it in the drawer. It’s my book. I’m afraid I’ve got a cold. I hate cabbage. I shan’t be able to go. What do you think you are doing? He says it was your fault. Have you any news of Malcolm? I shan’t be able to go. How many pencils do you want? I’m going on a voyage round Europe. Who’s been eating my grapes? I mustn’t take them. They won’t help us. He doesn’t want to play. I’m most grateful to you. | |||||||
| Low Fall only | Final, categoric, calm, reserved, flat, serious, unemotional, unsurprised, considered, firm, suggesting irritation or impatience, businesslike, formal, weighty, conveying personal concern or involvement, lively, interested, conveying mildly surprised acceptance of the listener’s premises, expressing warmth, | Mine. | Whose? | Let’s. | Good! Fine! | ||
| Low Fall +tail | Gladly, madam. | Which box? | Phone him. | Pity! | |||
| Low prH +Low Fall (+tail) | It’s Patricia’s. | In which drawer? | Well, take it then. | No wonder. | |||
| (Low prH) High Head+ Low fall (+tail) | So does Peter. | Why ever not? | Mind your own business. | How ridiculous! | |||
| (Low prH+) Stepping head +Low Fall (+tail) | I haven’t heard from him for ages. | For heaven’s sake why not? | Buy me half a dozen, please. | What an extraordinary piece of luck! | |||
| (Low prH+) High Fall (+tail) | No one’s been eating your wretched grapes. | Why mustn’t you take them? | Won’t they? | Then make him. | Don’t mention it, my dear chap! | ||
The Falling-Rising Tone Pattern
The basic meaning of the pattern is implicatory. The most common contours are:
1 Stepping (Sliding) Head + Fall-Rise Unit Contour.
2 Stepping (High) + Fall-Rise Divided Contour.
The Sliding Head increases the overall prominence of an utterance making it more emotional and expressive.
The meaning of the contour:
In statements: contradicting, correcting, warning, reproachful, astonished, grudgingly admitting. E.g.: It’s bitterly cold.
I think you’re ‘rather un fair. It’s ‘quite a ‵distance from,here.
In Yes/No and Wh-questions: interested, concerned, appealing, surprised. E,g.: ‵Couldn’t you,say that earlier? ‵Why didn’t you,call me?
In imperatives (warnings, suggestions, greetings): suggesting, polite, reproachful. E.g.: ‘Put on your ‘warm overcoat! ‵Don’t let it get you,down. You could ‘always advertise. Hello! Bye!
The FR tone pattern may be used in its referring function to refer to something already stated or which is or has become part of the speakers’ common knowledge, experience.
In statements:
A: I need advice on taxes. – B: Mr ‵Brown is the man to,talk to.
A: Here’s the milkman, Harriet. – B: Good. We ‵need some,cream.
In Yes/No questions: the FR is used to check something is as is assumed, e.g. Did you ‘go for the interview yesterday? Were they ‵happy to,see you?
Speech Exercises
Ex. 1 Read out the mini-dialogues using FR in A’s part to check what A presumes is true. Follow the model: A: Did you go for the `interview,yesterday? – B: `Yes, I did. – B: ‘How did it `go?
1 A: Is that the police station? – B: Yes, madam. – A: I want to report a robbery. 2 A: Are these eating apples? – B: Yes, they’re French. – A: I’d like a kilo please. 3 A: Did you hear the news this morning? – B: Yes, I did. – A: What do you think about it? 4 A: Have you been to the exhibition? – B: I did. – A: Isn’t it interesting? 5 A: Did you hear what she just said? – B: I did. – A: That’s really incredible. 6 A: Did you learn Spanish in Spain? – B: I didn’t. – A: But how can you speak it so well? 7 A: Do you work here? – B: Yes, sir. – A: Then please call your manager.