Intonation and Rhythm

Read out this paragraph and try to anticipate the tones.

Have you ever been to the mountains? They’re so beautiful, aren’t they? Last summer, we visited a small village in the hills. The air was fresh, and the view was amazing. Every morning, we’d wake up to the sound of birds singing. By midday, the sunlight would shine through the trees, making shadows on the ground. It was peaceful, but at night, the wind would howl, and it felt a little scary. Wouldn’t you like to spend a few days there?

Practise these sentences in the tones indicated.

  1. // ˈhæv ju ˈev.ə ˈbiːn tə ðə ↗maʊn.tɪnz //

  2. // ðeə ˈsəʊ ↘ˈbjuː.tə.fəl / ↘ɑːnt ðeɪ //

  3. // ˈlɑːst ↗sʌm.ə / wi ˈvɪz.ɪ.tɪd ə ˈsmɔːl ˈvɪl.ɪdʒ ɪn ðə ↘hɪlz //

  4. // ði ˈeə wəz ↗ˈfreʃ / ən ðə ˈvjuː wəz ə↘meɪ.zɪŋ //

  5. // ˈev.ri ↗mɔː.nɪŋ / wiːd ˈweɪk ˈʌp tə ðə ˈsaʊnd əv ˈbɜːdz ↘sɪŋ.ɪŋ//

  6. / baɪ ↘mɪd↗deɪ / ðə ˈsʌn.laɪt wʊd ˈʃaɪn θruː ðə ↗ˈtriːz / ˈmeɪ.kɪŋ ˈʃæd.əʊz ɒn ðə ↘ɡraʊnd //

  7. // ɪt wəz ↘piːs↗fəl / bət ət ↗naɪt / ðə ˈwɪnd wʊd ↗haʊl / ən ɪt ˈfelt ə ˈlɪt.l ↘skeə.ri //

  8. // ˈwʊdnt ju ˈlaɪk tə ˈspend ə ˈfjuː ↗deɪz ðeə //

Why did we use these tones?

  1. Have you ever been to the mountains? (rising, because it is a yes-no question)

  2. They’re so beautiful (falling, because it is a statement), aren’t they? (falling, because you expect the listener to agree)

  3. Last summer (rising, because it is an essential modifier to the main clause), we visited a small village in the hills. (falling, because it’s a statement)

  4. The air was fresh (rising, because it will continue the description), and the view was amazing. (falling, because it is the end of a statement)

  5. Every morning (falling-rising, because it modifies the main clause), we’d wake up to the sound of birds singing. (falling, as it concludes the statement)

  6. By midday (falling-rising, because it modifies the main clause), the sunlight would shine through the trees (rising, because it will continue the description), making shadows on the ground. (falling, as it concludes the statement)

  7. It was peaceful (falling-rising, implying contrast), but at night (rising, as it modifies the next clause) the wind would howl, and it felt a little scary. (falling, because it concludes the statement)

  8. Wouldn’t you like to spend a few days there? (rising, because it’s a yes-no question)


 

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