English Melody
Intonation is the "music" of English. Your voice goes UP ↗️ or DOWN ↘️ at the end of a sentence.
Falling Intonation ↘️
Rising Intonation ↗️
Not ALL questions go UP ↗️!
Listen & Guess ⚡
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Hear the Music 🎵
Pronunciation Tip: English isn't just about saying the right words; it's about singing the right tune! Watch how Teacher Sopheak moves her hands to show when the voice goes up and down.
Ask a Question 🙋♂️
Recent Questions
Hi Sovan! Khmer is a tonal language, but English uses sentence intonation. If you don't raise your pitch (↗️) on Yes/No questions, your voice sounds flat, which native speakers might hear as "uninterested" or "angry". Practice the melody! 🎶
Do I raise my voice when I ask "How are you?"
No! "How" is treated like a Wh- question (Who, what, where). Because we already know it's a question from the first word, the voice goes DOWN ↘️ at the end. "How are you.↘️"
Teacher, why do my English questions sound angry to foreigners?