Speaking: Pronunciation B2
Using Intonation to Convey Attitude
Listen to the dialogue examples here.
Scenario: Same Words, Different Meanings 🎭
Listen to this dialogue (in the main audio player). An employee, Chantha, says the exact same words, but his intonation completely changes his meaning.
(Genuine enthusiasm: high, falling pitch)
(Sarcasm: low, slow, flat pitch)
(Doubt: rising pitch, like a question)
How to Signal Your Attitude
Let's break down the "music" for sarcasm and doubt. (Listen to the main audio player for clear examples).
Sarcasm is saying the opposite of what you feel, often to complain or be funny. The key is to make your voice sound "dead" or emotionless.
- Pattern: Say the keyword slowly, with a low, flat pitch.
- Example: It's raining heavily. You say: "Lovely weather we're having."➘
When you're not convinced something is true, your intonation makes your statement sound like a question.
- Pattern: Use a rising or fall-rising intonation at the end of a statement.
- Example: Your friend says he can fix your computer in five minutes. You say: "You can fix it?"➚
Practice Your Intonation 🎯
Activity 1: What's the Attitude? (Self-Check)
Read the description of the intonation and choose the most likely attitude. Click "Show Answer" to check.
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Your colleague says, "Don't worry, the project will be easy." He says "easy" with a rising pitch, making it sound like "easy?".What is his real attitude?
Show Answer
He is showing doubt; he thinks it will be difficult.
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It's raining heavily outside. Your friend looks out and says, "Lovely weather," very slowly with a flat, low voice.What does she mean?
Show Answer
She is being sarcastic; she means the weather is terrible.
Activity 2: Listen & Compare
Listen to the main audio for the phrase "That's a wonderful idea." How does the intonation change the meaning?
- Version A (Enthusiastic): Said with a high, falling pitch.
(Sounds sincere and happy). - Version B (Sarcastic): Said slowly, with a low, flat pitch.
(Sounds like it's a terrible idea).
(You must use the main audio player at the top to hear these two different versions.)
Key Vocabulary
- Attitude Your feelings or opinions about someone or something, often shown through your tone of voice.
- Sarcasm The use of words to mean the opposite of what you say, to be funny or to criticize.
- Doubt A feeling of not being certain about something.
- Intonation / Pitch The "music" of your voice (rising/falling) and how high or low it is.
- Genuine / Sincere Real, true, or honest.
Your Mission: Become an Intonation Actor ⭐
Your mission is to practice controlling the "music" of your voice.
- Choose a simple sentence, for example: "That was very clever."
- Practice saying it out loud in three distinct ways:
- Genuinely: With a happy, sincere, falling intonation to praise someone.
- Sarcastically: Slowly, with a low, flat intonation, as if they did something stupid.
- Doubtfully: With a rising intonation at the end, as if you don't believe it was clever.
- Record yourself on your phone and listen back. Can you hear the difference in attitude?