Unit 55. Here? Yes, Here!
Asking and Checking Tones
Unit 55; Part A
Important for listening! Questions can be pronounced with the voice going up at the end or goingdown at the end. You can hear the difference in this conversation. Twopeople are fixing a place to meet. Listen to the way A pronounces histhree questions. A: Where? (A's voice goes down at the end.) B: Here. A: Where? (A's voice goes up at the end.) B: Here. A: Here? {A's voice goes up at the end.) B: Yes, here. A's first question is an 'open' question. The answer could be anyplace; he nas no idea. A's questions 2 and 3 are 'check' questions. Hethinks he knows the answer and he just wants to check. The voice usually goes down at the end of 'open' questions and up at the end of 'check' questions. |
Unit 55; Part B
Important for listening!
Note: In the sentence It's opposite the farm? we know the speaker is asking a question from the context. Also, the voice going up at the end makes it sound like a question. |
Exercises
| Unit 54 Unit 55 Unit 56 | |