Meaning & use
rising and falling intonation
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Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
The pattern of pitch changes in speech, where the voice goes up and down to convey meaning or emotion.
Grammar: Used as a singular concept; no plural form.
Patterns
- rising and falling intonation in something
- use rising and falling intonation
In English, questions often have rising intonation, while statements have falling intonation.
The teacher explained how rising and falling intonation can change the meaning of a sentence.
Actors practice rising and falling intonation to make their speech more expressive.
Common combinations
- rising intonation
- A rising intonation at the end of a sentence often indicates a question.
- falling intonation
- A falling intonation is typical for statements and commands.
- intonation pattern
- Different languages have different intonation patterns.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pitch variation
- A more technical term focusing on the highness or lowness of sound rather than the overall melody.
- speech melody
- A broader term that includes rhythm and stress as well as pitch changes.
Word family
- intonation noun
- The overall rise and fall of the voice in speech.
- intonate verb
- To speak with a particular intonation.
Commonly confused: rising and falling intonation or inflection?
rising and falling intonation vs inflection
Inflection can also mean a change in pitch, but it more often refers to a change in the form of a word (e.g., plural, past tense).
Practice
Which sentence best describes rising intonation?
Choose one answer.
Rising intonation means the pitch of the voice increases, often at the end of a question. Falling intonation is the opposite, and flat intonation is monotone.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rising and falling intonation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.