In informal spoken English, tails are sometimes used at the end of asentence to emphasise or make clearer what we have just said. We ofenuse them when we give an evaluation of something:
It's a really good PHOto ↓, THAT one ↑.
She's a JUDGE ↓, my AUNT ↑.
↑ tail
↑ tail
Tails consist of a noun or a noun phrase. They usually have a risingtone because they are referring to or expanding on something that hasbeen said before (see Unit 39).
Some tails consist of this, that, these or those or a phrase beginning with one of these words. These tails usually emphasise what we are saying: They're all we've got LEFT ↓, THOSE two ↑. They taste GREAT ↓, these BIScuits ↑. It's BEAUtiful ↓, THIS part of the COUNtry ↑. It says here that they're going to put up a new town hall. INteresting ↓, THAT ↑.
Other tails make clear who or what we are referring to: He's a good COOK ↓, Nlgel ↑. ( = Nigel is a good cook) She's really STRICT ↓, the headTEAcher ↑. I can't STAND it ↓, cigarETE smoke ↑. ( = I can't stand cigarette smoke) That's MY hat ↓, the ONE you're WEAring ↑.
Important for listening! Another type of tail also with a rising tone. repeats the subject + verb in order to reinforce what we have just said. It is similar to a tag (see Unit 41), and is used mainly in very informal speech: A: Maybe you could borrow the money from your brother? B: No, he's incredibly MEAN ↓, HE is ↑. subject + verb A: Do you know those people over there? B: Yeah, they LIVE near me ↓, THEY do ↑ subject + verb
Some other tails usually have a falling tone; for example, a tailadded to a wh- question in order to clarify who or what the questionrefers to: What time's it ON ↓, this SHOW ↑? How OLD is she ↓, your DAUGHter ↑?
1 It's so boring, 2 I think it's gone off, 3 I took them myself, 4 That's my coat, 5 They're a bit unfriendly, 6 It's really annoying, 7 They're quite similar, 8 She was the first one in our family to go to university,
___ this cream. ___ those two shirts. ___ most of these photos. ___ my sister. 1 tennis. ___ that dripping tap. ___ the one with the fur collar. ___ our neighbours.
Now listen and check your answers. Then say the full sentencesaloud, making sure you use a rising tone on the tail and a falling tonebefore it. Example: It's so boring ↓, tennis ↑.
Do you think the tails in these sentences are likely to have a rising tone (put ↑ in the box) or a falling tone ↓? Key.1 ↓ 2 ↓ 3 ↑ 4 ↑ 5 ↓ 6 ↓ 7 ↑ Example: They're all over the kitchen, those beetles. ↑ 1 Where's it being held, Friday's concert? ___ 2 What's it like, this cheese? ___ 3 It can be dangerous, skiing. ___ 4 It's made from Thai silk, Vicky's dress. ___ 5 When are they coming, Frank and Gill? ___ 6 How much did you pay for them, these tickets? ___ 7 It's not a great day for us to meet, Sunday. ___
Now listen and check your predictions. Then say the sentences aloud.
Follow up:Imagine you are being shown around a house that is for sale. Usingsentences with tails, think of five criticisms and five compliments youmight make. For example: 'It's very small, the garden'; 'It's nicelydecorated, the sitting room'.