Author’s Words

The group of author’s words may stand at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the sentence.

1. Author’s words in sentence-initial position form a separate intonation-group.

1. Short phrases generally take the Low Level Tone, Low Rise or Low Fall.

She said, 

She said,  “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

She said ,

2. An extended group of author’s words usually takes the Low Level pre-terminal tones (the Low Level scale or head) followed by the Low Fall or Low Rise, e. g.

She said excitedly, 

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

She said excitedly, 

2. Mid-sentence author’s words are usually pronounced as an unstressed tail of the preceding sense-group, thus breaking the sense-group into two syntagms.

“Sorry, - she said – to have kept you waiting.”

3. Author’s words in the sentence-final position are also pronounced as an unstressed tail of the preceding sense-group, if they are unextended.

Extended group of sentence-final author’s words forms two or more syntagms. Some initial words of the group are said as an unstressed tail of the preceding syntagm, it repeats the intonation pattern of the first syntagm but on a narrowed range.

“Will you do me a favour”, she asked looking me straight in the eye.

Graphical rules

Vowel № 1/I:/

Graphical Rules:

Vowel № 1 is represented in spelling by:

1. the letter e in open and historically open syllables (be, meter, these, theme);

2. the digraphs: ее – meet, see, feel, tree

ea – meat, seat, peace

ie – piece, field, believe

ei – ceiling, receive

Rare Spellings: people, key, breathe, wreathe.

/i:/ in proverbs and sayings:

1. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

2. No sweet without some sweat.

3. Extremes meet.

Vowel № 2 //

Graphical Rules:

Vowel № 2 is represented in spelling by:

1. the letters i, у in stressed closed syllables (myth, syllable);

2. y, ey when unstressed (city, baby, money, family, hockey, valley);

3. ai when unstressed (fountain, mountain, portrait, captain);

4. the letter e in prefixes (before, begin, decide).

Rare Spelling: busy, build, biscuit, foreign, women, coffee.

// in proverbs and sayings:

1. As fit as a fiddle.

2. As busy as a bee.

3. Little pitches have big ears.

Vowel № 3 /e/

Graphical Rules:

Vowel № 3 is represented in spelling by:

1. the letter e in closed accented syllables (red, better);

2. the digraph ea before d (bread, head, dead);

th (breath, death, weather).

Irregular Spelling; deaf, heavy, measure, pleasure, pleasant, health, wealth, meant, breakfast, weapon.

Rare Spelling: any, man, friend, says, said.

/e/ in proverbs and sayings:

1. Many men, many minds.

2. Better to do well, than to say well.

3. Better late than never, but never late is better.

4. All is well, that ends well.

Vowel № 4 //

Graphical Rules;

Vowel № 4 is represented in spelling by:

the letter a in closed syllables (lad, glad, scratch, cramped).

NOTE. A number of three-syllable words with the accented letter a in an open syllable fall under this rule (family, cavity, vanity).

/ in proverbs and sayings:

1. No living man all things can.

2. Who chatters to you will chatter of you.

3. He that hatches matches hatches catches.