Intonation: Question or Statement?
Lesson Goals
- Identify the difference between "Asking" and "Telling".
- Learn the "Falling Tone" for facts and Wh- questions.
- Learn the "Rising Tone" for Yes/No questions.
In English, your voice goes UP or DOWN at the end of a sentence. This "music" helps people know if you want an answer or if you are just giving information.
1. The Falling Tone ↘ (Statements & Wh- Questions)
When you are sure about something, or asking for information (Who, What, Where), your voice usually goes DOWN at the end.
Statements (Facts):
- I like pizza. ↘
- It is 5 o'clock. ↘
Wh- Questions (Information):
- What is your name? ↘
- Where are you going? ↘
2. The Rising Tone ↗ (Yes/No Questions)
When you are checking information or need a "Yes" or "No" answer, your voice goes UP at the end. It sounds friendly and open.
- Are you ready? ↗
- Do you like it? ↗
- Can I help you? ↗
Why is this hard?
Many students think ALL questions go UP. This is wrong!
If you say "What is your name? ↗" with a high rising tone, it can sound like you are surprised or did not hear them clearly. For a normal question, go DOWN ↘.
Practice Activity: Listen & Draw
Listen to the audio. Draw an arrow (Up ↗ or Down ↘) for the intonation you hear.
- "She is a teacher." (______)
- "Is she a teacher?" (______)
- "When is the party?" (______)
- "Are you coming?" (______)
Vocabulary List
- Intonation (noun) /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃn/ [សូរសៀង] - The "music" of your voice (up and down).
- Question (noun) /ˈkwɛstʃən/ [សំណួរ] - A sentence that asks for an answer.
- Statement (noun) /ˈsteɪtmənt/ [ប្រយោគប្រាប់] - A sentence that tells a fact.
Your Mission 🎙️
Record yourself asking these two questions. Can you hear the difference?
- Where do you live? ↘ (Go down)
- Do you live here? ↗ (Go up)