oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

PAGE 67
54 Stress and intonation
The greatest fall or rise is on the new and important information. Which word is
important depends on the context.
People round here are well off. Our neighbours have just bought a m caravan.
If you want to know about caravans, ask our neighbours. They've just m bought
a caravan.
I know someone who's got a caravan. Our m neighbours have just bought one.
b
c
Intonation in statements and questions
These two sentences are the same except for the intonation.
I'll see you next m week.
I'll see you next k week?
The intonation shows that the first sentence is a statement and the second a
yes/no question. A falling intonation is normal in a statement. A rising intonation
means that the speaker is unsure if something is true or not.
A yes/no question asking for information usually has a rising intonation. But a
wh-question usually has a falling Falling intonation because it is not about whether
something is true or false.
Yes/no: Will I see you next k week? Do you sell k matches?
Wh-: When will I m see you? What does it m cost?
A fall on a yes/no question sounds abrupt and impatient.
Are you m ready? Come on, hurry up.
A rise on a wh-question sounds tentative.
What are you k doing? Please tell me.
Requests, suggestions, offers etc in the form of ayes/no question often have a
falling intonation.
Can you pass me the m salt, please? Could you m wait for us?
The meaning of a tag depends on the intonation. • 34(3)
You'll be here next week, m won't you? (fairly sure)
You'll be here next week, k won't you? (less sure)
Rising intonation in statements
A rising intonation shows that something is incomplete. The rise is not as great as
in ayes/no question.
k Hopefully. (I'll be here next week.)
In k my opinion. (it's quite wrong.)
If you're k ready. (we can go.)
Even in a complete sentence, we can use a rising intonation.
It's a long way to k walk. I like your new k suit.
The meaning here is that the conversation is incomplete. The speaker expects the
listener to respond.
It's a long way to k walk. (Do you think we ought to go by car?)
It's a long way to m walk. (I won't walk, and that's final.)
The rising intonation makes the statement more like a question. Compare these
replies.
Have you heard the news? ~ k No. (What's happened?)
Have you heard the news? ~ m Yes.
I've got a new job. ~ Oh, k have you? (Where?)
I've got a new job. ~ Oh, m have you?
The fall suggests that the conversation is complete. In this context it sounds
uninterested and so rather impolite.