25) Falling Intonation

Standard patterns

Standard unemphatic falling intonation is the most common type of intonation in English. It is used in statements (declarative sentences), special questions, commands (imperative sentences), exclamatory sentences, in the first part of disjunctive questions and in the last part of alternative questions. (Different types of sentences are described in Basic Word Order in the section Grammar.) The final fall in English is used on the last stressed syllable of a sentence and falls stronger and deeper than the fall in Russian.

Statements

We live in \MOScow.

She is ten years \OLD.

He doesn't have a \CAR.

I don't want to \CALL her.

I haven't read this \BOOK.

They left for London \YESterday.

I'd like a sandwich and a cup of \COFfee, please.

Special questions

Where do you \LIVE?

When did you \CALL him?

How much \IS it?

What are you \READing?

Commands

\STOP it! Sit \DOWN.

Close your books and \LISten.

Turn left at the \POST office.

Exclamatory sentences

How \NICE of you!

Hel\LO! Good \MORNing!

What a wonderful sur\PRISE!

Alternative questions

Do you want /COFfee or \TEA?

Did he visit /BELgium or \FRANCE last year?

Would you like to go for a /WALK or would you rather stay \HOME?

You can listen to examples of falling intonation in different types of sentences in Listening for Falling and Rising Intonation (AmE) and Listening for Intonation in Questions and Answers (AmE) in the section Phonetics.

Meaning of falling intonation

Falling intonation is used for asking and giving information in normal, quiet, unemphatic style. At the same time, falling intonation conveys certain emotions, such as completion, finality, confidence. Falling intonation sounds more categorical, confident, and convincing than rising intonation. Compare the use of the falling tone and the rising tone in the second part of tag questions.

Tag questions

You \LIVE here, /DON'T you? (The speaker thinks you live here but isn't sure and asks for confirmation.)

You \LIVE here, \DON'T you? (The speaker is sure and expects the answer "yes".)

Nice \WEATHer, /ISN'T it? (The speaker thinks that the weather is nice but asks for your opinion and confirmation.)

Nice \WEATHer, \ISN'T it? (The speaker is sure the weather is nice and expects the answer "yes".)

Note that the falling tone is always used in the first part of tag questions (disjunctive questions). Despite the fact that tag questions are asked to get confirmation and agreement, the answer may be affirmative or negative. (Read more about different types of questions, including tag questions, in Word Order in Questions in the section Grammar.)

High fall

High fall may be used for extra emphasis in informal situations to express lively interest and friendliness in statements, for example, in greetings and exclamations. High fall starts higher than the standard fall, and the stressed syllable on which it takes place is pronounced more loudly and has stronger stress. High fall is common in everyday speech, but language learners should use it with caution and not too often because it is very expressive and emphatic.

Oh \HI! I'm very glad to \SEE you!

Oh, come \ON! It's very \EASy!

He bought a /Ferrari? \WOW!

Change of standard patterns

Change of standard patterns of falling intonation also has meaning. It is very important to understand what this change might signal. A few examples are given below.

A statement with falling intonation gives information, while a statement with rising intonation may become a surprised question or may imply a request to repeat.

He bought a new \HOUSE. (A statement giving information.)

He bought a new /HOUSE? (A surprised question.)

A special question with falling intonation asks for information, while a special question with rising intonation usually signals more interest on the part of the speaker.

What is your \NAME? (A question asking for information.)

What is your /NAME? (A more interested question.)

A general question with rising intonation asks for information and expects "yes" or "no" for an answer, while a general question with falling intonation usually signals the speaker's confidence in getting an affirmative answer.

Do you have a /CAR? (A question asking for information.)

Do you have a \CAR? (The answer "yes" is expected.)

A request in the form of a general question with rising intonation is normal and polite, while a request with falling intonation sounds like a command and may be impolite.

Could you give me a /PEN, please? (Polite request.)

Could you give me a \PEN, please? (Sounds like a command; the answer "yes" is expected.)

Language learners should understand what the change of standard patterns may signal, but it is advisable to use standard patterns of falling intonation in your own speech.