The rise-fall

The rise-fall in exclamations shows that the speaker is greatly impressed. According to the situation it can express irony, mockery, putting up, sarcasm, challenge, reproach, admiration. So it may express attitude both pleasant and unpleasant from quizzical to challenging and from being pleasantly impressed to admiration.

E.g. ˄Oh, what a pity. I thought perhaps you might stay up to see her.

(emphatic) (Meet the Parkers 12)

- Did you have a good game Gerry? – ˄Splendid. (emphatic) (Intermediate English. Weight Problem)

- I am coming with you this evening. – ˄Wonderful!

- I think it’s good. – It’s ˄lovely!

- Everything is all right, isn’t it? – Yes, I’m so ˄happy!

Exercise 1.

Read the following sentences. Create contrast between the two variants using the rise-fall and the low fall. Comment on the difference.

1. ˈThat would be ˄wonderful! ˈThat would be ˎwonderful

2. I’m aˈfraid it ˄is! I’m aˈfraid it ˎis.

3. I should ˈnever have be˄lieved it! I should ˈnever have beˎlieved it.

4. But she ˈdidn’t ˈsay a ˄word! But she ˈdidn’t ˈsay a ˎword.

5. You ˄really ˌmustn’t ˌmake that ˌnoise! You ˈreally ˈmustn’t ˈmake that ˎnoise.

6. It’s ˄perfectly ab˄surd! It’s ˈperfectly abˎsurd.

General questions

1. The low rise

2. The high rise

3. The high fall + the low rise

4. The high fall

5. The rise-fall

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The low rise

The most common way of asking general questions is the low rise preceded by the descending scale. The speaker sounds sympathetically interested or puzzled.

E.g. ˈWill he ˈgo to the ˌUniˏversity, do you think? (sympathetically interested) (Meet the Parkers 3)

ˈIs he ˈstudying ˏscience? (sympathetically interested) (Meet the Parkers 3)

Exercise 1.

Read the following general questions. Express your interest.

1. I think I smell something cooking. ˈIs ˈlunch ˈready ˏyet?

2. Where is everyone? ˈIs the ˈhouse ˏempty?

3. ˎHarry, │ ˈcould you ˈturn ˈout your ˏworkroom?

4. It’s going to be a lovely day. ˈAre we ˈall ˏready?

5. ˈHave you ˈturned ˈoff the ˈgas and elecˏtricity?

6. ˈAre you ˈsure you’ve ˈgot the ˏrailway ˌtickets?

7. Alan and I are going for a picnic. ˈDo you ˈwant to ˏcome?

8. ˈDo you ˈoften ˈgo to the ˏtheatre? – Yes, at least once a fortnight. ˈDo ˏyou ever go?

9. – ˈHave you ˈheard that ˈyoung ˈPatrick ˈEllis has had aˈnother ˈaccident in his ˏcar?

– Oh! ˈIs he ˈbadly ˏhurt?

10. ˈHave you ˈheard that ˈEva ˈBrowning is ˈgetting ˈmarried for the ↑third ˈtime on Sepˈtember the ˏtenth?

11. ˈHave you ˈseen my ˈnew ˏtie? – `No. But ˈhave you ˈlooked for it ˏproperly?

12. ˈAre you ˈsure you ˈhaven’t ˈworn that ˈtie since ˏSaturday?

13. ˈDid you ˈhave a ˈgood ˈgame of ˏsquash?

14. ˈHave they ˈfinished ˈwork on your ˈnew ˏswimming pool?

15. ˈHave you ˈhad your ˈholiday for this ˈyear ˏyet?

16. ˈHave you ˈmade ˈup your ˏmind?

17. ˈAre you ˈlooking ˈforward to your ˈtrip to ˏCanada?

18. ˈHave you ↑ever ˈtravelled ˈfar in a ˈrough ˏsea?

19. ˈDo you ˈlike ˈart ˏgalleries?

20. ˈDo you ˈthink I shall have ˈtime for the ˈBritish Muˏseum?

21. ˈIs it ˈmuch of a ˈwalk to ˈRegent’s ˏPark?

22. ˈIs there any ˈgolf to be ˈhad near ˏLondon?

23. ˈAre ˈEnglish ˈpeople ˈfond of ˏgardening?

24. ˈDo you ˈknow any ˈplace that is↑ more ˈinteresting than a ˈbig ˏrailway- station?

25. ˈDo you ˈknow a ↑more exˈciting ˈplace than a ˈbig ˏrailway-station?

26. ˈDid you ˈhave a ˏpleasant voyage?

27. ˈDid you ˈgo aˏshore in Spain?

28. ˈDid you ˈbathe in the Mediterˏranean?

Exercise 2.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low rise. Show your interest.

1. I’m going to do some shopping. – ˈCan I ˈcome ˏtoo?

2. Here’s my new hat. – ˈMay I ˈtry it ˏon?

3. I’m going to the stadium. – ˈDo you ˈhave ˈtime to ˈplay ˏsports?

4. Wait a little. I’ll put on my coat. – ˈDo you ˈthink it’s ˏcold today?

5. My friend is a student. – ˈAre you ˏalso a student?

6. I’m going to a dance tonight. – ˈDo you ˈlike ˏdancing?

7. The cake tastes good. – ˈWill you ˈhave some ˏmore?

8. Hope to see you some day. – ˈWill you inˈvite me to your ̗evening party?

9. Something has gone wrong with your iron, I think. – Yes. ˈCan you ˈput it ˏright?

10. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the party with you today. – ˈAre you ˈvery ˏbusy today?

Note: The speaker sounds disapproving, skeptical, sometimes puzzled with the nuclear tone on the auxiliary verb.

Exercise 3.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low rise on the auxiliary verbs, sound disapproving or skeptical.

1. They are arriving next week. – ˏAre they?

2. It’s very important. – ˏIs it?

3. You were quite wrong about it. – ˏWas I?

4. They weren’t invited. – ˏWeren’t they?

5. I thought she was pretty. – ˏDid you?

6. I can’t go there. – ˏCan’t you?

7. I’m making a new dress. – ˏAre you?

8. We are going to be late, I’m afraid. – ˏAre we?

9. I’ve entered this University. – ˏHave you?

10. I wasn’t lucky at the exams. – ˏWeren’t you?

11. I think my mother has something she wants to talk to you about. – ˎOh, │ ˏhas she?

12. They say he’s good enough for the club second team. – ˏIs he?

13. My friend is a student. – ˏIs he?

14. Her cakes always taste good. – ˏDo they?

15. I think I’ll invite them to our party. – ˏWill you?

16. I think I can put the iron right. – ˏCan you?

17. I’m going to the stadium. – ˏDo you have time to play sports?

18. Wait a little. I’ll put on my coat. – ˏDo you think it’s cold today?

19. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the party with you today. – ˏAre you very busy today?

20. I’m going to do some shopping. – ˏMust you do it now?

21. Here’s my new hat. – ˏDid you again spend a lot of money?

22. I’m going to a dance tonight. – ˏMust you go dancing before your exam?

Exercise 4.

Read the following conversational situations. Show your disapproval or skepticism.

1. There’s a concert this evening at the club. – Is there?

2. I’m making a new dress. - Are you?

3. We haven’t been to the club for ages. – Haven’t we?

4. I’m sure it’s the plug. – Is it?

5. We’re going to be late, I’m afraid. – Are we?

6. I’ve passed the exam. – Have you?

7. He has already come. – Has he?

8. I’m well now. – Are you?

9. I can come at nine. – Can you?

10. Tom is coming on Saturday. – Is he?

11. She is waiting for you. – Is she?

12. I see him very often. – Do you?

Exercise 5.

Read the following sentences, use the low rise. Show difference in your attitude to the situation.

1. I’m going to do some shopping.

– Must you do it now? (disapproving)

– Must you do it now? (interested)

2. He has already come.

– Has he brought the money? (interested)

– Has he brought the money? (skeptical)

3. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the party with you today.

– Are you very busy today? (interested, sympathetic)

– Are you very busy today? (skeptical, disapproving)

4. – Wait a little. I’ll put on my coat.

– Do you think it’s cold today? (skeptical, puzzled)

– Do you think it’s cold today? (interested)

5. I’m going to the stadium.

– Do you have time to play sports? (disapproving)

– Do you have time to play sports? (interested)

6. I think I’ll invite them to our party.

– Will you invite them all? (interested)

– Will you invite them all? (disapproving, puzzled)

7. – It’s very important.

– Is it really very important? (skeptical, puzzled)

– Is it really very important? (interested)

8. My friend is a student. She is fond of studying.

– Does she attend all the classes? (interested)

– Does she attend all the classes? (skeptical)

9. I think my mother has something she wants to talk to you about.

– Has she got any news? (interested, sympathetic)

– Has she got any news? (skeptical, puzzled)

10. They say he’s good enough for the club second team.

– Is he a good goal keeper? (interested)

– Is he a good goal keeper? (skeptical, puzzled)

11. We are staying in London for two days.

– Shall we have time for the British Museum? (interested)

– Shall we have time for the British Museum? (skeptical)

12. – I haven’t seen my new tie since Saturday.

– Have you looked for it properly? (interested, sympathetic)

– Have you looked for it properly? (skeptical)

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