The rise-fall

With the rise-fall the idea of the utterance is intensified.

Ex.1.

Read the following general questions, use the rise-fall and then the rising tone. First intensify your idea. Then simply express your interest in the second variant.

1. ˈDoes he ˈreally ˄mean what he ˌsays? ˈDoes he ˈreally ˈmean what he ˏsays?

2. ˈIs there ˈanything I can ˄do for you? ˈIs there ˈanything I can ˈdo ˏfor you?

3. ˈCan you ˈget there by any ˄other ˌroute? ˈCan you ˈget there by any ̗other ˌroute?

4. ˈWill you be ˈable to ˈget ˄out of it? ˈWill you be ˈable to ˈget ˏout of it?

Special questions

1. the low fall;

2. descending head + the low fall;

3. the high fall;

4. the low rise;

5. the high rise;

6. the fall-rise;

7. the rise-fall.

I

The low fall

Special questions are commonly used with the falling tones. In special questions with the law fall only the speaker sounds calm, serious, flat, reserved, very often unsympathetic.

E.g. Mrs. Howard: ˈWhat’s he ˈstudying ˎnow? (Meet the Parkers 3)

Harry: ˈWhat’s the ˈuse of ˈstaying in ˎbed? (Meet the Parkers 12)

Harry: ˈWhy do you ˈkeep ˈlooking at the ˎclock?

Exercise1.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low fall. Show that you are calm and serious.

1. Take one of them. – ˎWhich?

2. Just tell him. – ˎWhat?

3. Make them at once. – ˎHow?

4. I saw a friend of yours today. – ˎWho?

5. Borrow someone’s dictionary. – ˎWhose?

6. Pass me that box, Joan. – ˎWhich ˌbox?

7. He’s away quite often. – ˈHow ˎoften?

8. He’s broken a window. – ˎWhose ˌwindow?

9. Someone’ll have to do it. – But ˎwho?

10. You’ll find it in the drawer. – In ˎwhich ˌdrawer?

Exercise 2.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low fall. Sound unsympathetic.

1. You can take only one of them. – ˎWhich? (I want more, I think you are greedy.)

2. Just call him. – ˎWhen? (He is always away and I don’t have time to wait for him.)

3. Bring everything here! – ˎHow? (I have got only one pair of hands!)

4. I saw your friend with a girl the other day. – ˎWhich ˌgirl? (I hate all his girl friends.)

5. Borrow money then. –ˈWho ˎfrom? (Is there anybody here who’ll give us money?)

6. Give me your book. – ˎWhy? (I need it myself. You should have borrowed the book from the library long ago.)

7. He often misses his classes. – ˈHow ˎoften. (He is awful.)

8. He has stolen the bicycle. – ˎWhose ˌbicycle? (We are going to have some trouble with that person.)

9. Someone will have to do it. – But ˎwho? (Don’t count on me.)

10. You’ll find it in a box. – In ˎwhich ˌbox? (Do you think I’m going to open all of the boxes looking for the wretched thing?)

II

Descending head + the low fall

In special questions with the pattern “Descending head + law fall” the speaker sounds serious, responsible, intense. Besides the speaker may often suggest irritability or impatience.

E.g.

a) the speaker sounds serious and responsible, answerable, trustworthy:

Harry: Oh, yes. I’ll soon get the water to boil. ˎAh, │ ˈ where’s the ˎcoal? (Meet the Parkers 27)

ˈWhat would you say are the ˈmost ˎpopular ˌgames in ˌEngland toˌday? (Sports and Games Popular in England)

ˈWhat are the ˎother ˌoutdoor ˌgames? (Sports and Games Popular in England)

ˈWhat about ˎhorse-racing? (Sports and Games Popular in England)

ˈWhat about ˎindoor ˌgames? (Sports and Games Popular in England)

ˈWhat about ˈgoing to the ˎZoo? (Sightseeing)

b) the speaker sounds irritated, impatient:

ˈWhat have you been ˎbusy with ˌall ˌday? ˈWhy ˈisn’t the ˈsupper ˎready?

Exercise 1.

Read the following conversational situations with special questions, use the low fall. Sound responsible and serious.

1. He’s broken a window. – ˈWhose ˈwindow has he ˈbroken ˎthis time? (Boys do break windows while playing football.)

2. Will you lend me your pen? – ˈWhat do you ˈwant it ˎfor? (Sure, here it is.)

3. Go and see him tomorrow. – ˈWhat ˈplace does he ˈlive ˎin? (All right, I’ll go there.)

4. I’m terribly tired. – ˈWhy ˈdon’t you ˈleave it till toˈmorrow ˎmorning? (Of course you deserve a rest.)

5. Good morning, madam. – ˈWhen does this ˈtrain for ˈMoscow ˎleave? (I’ve been watching the train for twenty minutes. I wonder when it will leave.)

6. I’m afraid I can’t do that. – ˈCan’t ˈdo ˎwhat? (What are you speaking about, dear?)

7. Pass the sugar! – ˈWhy ˈdon’t you ˈsay “ˎplease”? (Darling, you must be polite.)

8. Can she see you tomorrow? – ˈWhat is the ˈmatter with her ˎnow? (Why can’t I see her now?)

9. I’ve missed the last bus. – ˈHow are you ˈgoing to ˈget ˎhome? (It’s a pity. It is getting dark.)

10. I came on Tuesday morning. – At eˈxactly ˈwhat ˎtime? (I want to know everything in detail.)

11. The weather is horrid. – Then ˈwhy ˈcan’t you ˎstay? (I don’t want you to leave.)

Exercise 2.

Read the following conversational situations with special questions, use the low fall. Sound irritated or impatient.

1. He’s broken a window. – ˈWhose ˈwindow has he ˈbroken ˎthis ˌtime? (Oh good gracious! Again!)

2. Will you lend me your pen? – ˈWhat do you ˈwant it ˎfor? (Why can’t you use your own pen, why are you constantly borrowing things?)

3. Go and see him tomorrow. – ˈWhy should ˎI ˌdo it? (Is there anybody else but me to see that rascal?)

4. Pass the sugar! – ˈWhy ˈdon’t you ˈsay ˎ“please”? (Don’t I keep telling you that you must be polite?)

5. The weather is horrid. – Then ˈwhy ˈcan’t you ˎstay? (Why are you complaining? You can stay at home and that’s all there is to it.)

6. Can she see you tomorrow? – ˈWhat is the ˈmatter with her ˎnow? (I’m sick and tired of her.)

Exercise 3.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low fall. Show your attitude to the situation by developing it.

1. Will you lend me your car? – Where are you going? (irritated)

2. I’m afraid I can’t do that. – Why can’t you do it? (serious)

3. My goodness! I’ve lost the key. – Whose key have you lost? (irritated)

4. The cat jumped on the table and broke the cup. – Why do you let the cat come into the kitchen? (irritated)

5. Don’t disturb me. I’m having a wash. – Why are you having a wash now? (impatient)

6. You know she goes shopping every Saturday afternoon after classes. – Why doesn’t she do her shopping on Sundays? (irritated)

7. Dad always has a drink on his way home from work on Saturday morning. – When will he be back do you think? (serious)

8. – Nina, could you turn up your room? I’ve been meaning to ask you for days. – Why do you ask me to do it now? (impatient)

9. Let me see, it’s half past eleven now. – Why do you keep looking at the clock? (irritated)

10. Tommy Wood next door was taken ill last night and this morning he had to be taken to hospital. – What’s the trouble? (serious)

11. I’m told one ought to see the British Museum. Do you think I shall have time for that? – It’s much too big to be seen in an hour or so. – What about going to the Zoo then? (serious)

12. I’m having dinner at a Chinese restaurant tonight. – Who are you having dinner with? (serious)

13. By the way, have you heard that young Patrick Ellis has had another accident in his car? – When did it happen? (responsible)

14. Have you heard that Eva Browning is getting married for the third time on September the tenth? – When did she get married for the first time? (irritated)

15. I’m dead beat after the game of squash. – Who did you play with? (serious)

III