12B: Choose What to Use

Rising-Falling Intonation

We do not only use rising or falling intonations alone, but we can likewise use a combination of both. Consider the rules of rising-falling intonation.

This is generally used for giving out a list, a set of choices, partial and conditional statements.

In stating a list, use rising intonation in the first series of items. Then, use a falling intonation on the last item to indicate that the list has ended. For instance:

She bought some ↑bread, ↑meat, ↑pasta, and ↓apples.

He enjoys outdoor activities such as ↑mountain climbing, ↑trekking, and ↓camping.

This bag comes in colors of ↑white, ↑gray, ↑black, and ↓yellow.

When used in choices, we say:

Would you like to have ↑tea or ↓coffee?

Is Jane coming ↑today or ↓tomorrow?

Did you say ↑east or ↓west?

We also use the rising-falling intonation in partial statements. This is when the speaker is hesitant to fully express his ideas and is unable to finish his statement.

For example: 

What was the place like? –Well, it ↑seemed ↓nice… (but it’s too small.)

So did you enjoy the trip? –Hmmm, ↑yes I ↓did… (but it was too short.)

Do Ethan and Ricky know you? –Well, ↑Ethan ↓does… (but not Ricky.)

In conditional statements, we use the rising intonation in the first clause, then gradually shift to the falling intonation in the second clause.

So we say:

If you have any ↑questions, send me a ↓message.

Ever since you came ↑here, everything’s doing ↓well.

Unless she ↑asks, I’ll stay ↓silent.

Example: