22. Intonation of imperatives.

Imperative sentences are used in speech for different communicative purposes, the most typical of which are to express a command or an instruction, to ask for a favour or to give a warning. Accordingly, we can talk about different communicative subtypes of imperatives : commands and instructions, requests and warnings. 1)Commands and instructions are usually pronounced with a Falling nuclear tone with preceding high or stepping head:Open the books at page nine. 2) Requests are pronounced with a Low Rising nuclear tone preceded by a high prenuclear pitch or with a Falling-Rising nuclear tone. Warnings are normally pronounced with a Falling-Rising nuclear tone.

Imperatives of all kinds can be pronounced with a Low Rising nuclear tone preceded by a low prenuclear pitch: (a low head or\ and a low prehead). Such imperatives sound casual or unimportant: Get another chair.