Unit 43. Finding Out or Making Sure?

Questions (1)

Unit 43; Part A

When we ask a question, we might be trying to find out informationthat we don't already know. Alternatively, we might ask a question inorder to make sure that information we think we know is, in fact,correct.

Finding out questions usually end with a falling tone:
WHAT part of SPAIN were you in ↓? HOW much ARE they ↓?

Note: Because wh- questions are ofen used to find out information, they often, although not always, end with a falling tone.

Making sure questions usually end with a rising or fall-rising tone (for the difference see B):
was BRIan there ↑? or: was BRIan there ↓↑?
DOESn't she WORK with you ↑? or: DOESn't she WORK with you ↓↑?

Note: Because yes-no questions are often used to make sure, they often, although not always, end with a rising or fall-rising tone.

However, wh- questions can have a rising or fall-rising tone when they are making sure, and yes-no question can have a falling tone when they are fnding out:
WHEN'S your birthday ↑? -"a rising tone shows that I'm checking the date; it might be polite to suggest that I do know but have temporarily forgotten.

Have you SEEN her recently ↓? - I don't know whether you have or not

Unit 43; Part B

In making sure questions we can usually use a fall-rising tone or arising tone with little difference in meaning. However, a fall-risingtone often sounds more polite than a rising tone. In particular, afall-rising tone is often preferred in questions asked for socialreasons; that is, mainly to be polite and friendly rather than to checkinformation (see also Unit 48C):

Do you WANT to take your COAT off ↓↑?
Are you SURE you can MANage that ↓↑?

Unit 43; Part C

Other kinds of questions can also be used to produce a reply from ahearer. In these, too, we use a falling tone to find out and a rising(or fall-rising) tone to make sure. For example, sentences which askfor assistance with would you mind, perhaps or I wonder usually have a falling tone:
Would you MIND holding THIS ↓? I WONder if you could HELP me ↓?

Note: Wh- and yes-noquestions used to ofer assistance ofen have a falling tone as thissounds more genuine, and therefore more polite, than a rising orfall-rising tone (see also Unit 48C):
can I HELP you ↓? WHAT can I DO for you ↓?

Statements which are intended to produce a reply often have a risingtone because they are usually asking for confrmation of something wethink we already know:
You've FINished alREADy ↑? You HAVen't even STARted ↑?

Exercises

1 Decide whether the speaker is finding out or making sure.

Listen to each question and decide whether the speaker is findingout (with a falling tone) or making sure (with a rising tone).Underline your answer.

Example: Who are they playing next week?
1   Were the police involved?
2   Are you feeling okay now?
3   Don't we turn left here?
4   Why didn't you phone me earlier?
5   Have you discussed it with your parents yet?
6   How do you get the top off?
7   Did I see you in town on Saturday?
8   What happened after that?

finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑
finding out ↓ / making sure ↑

Now check your answers in the Key. Then say the questions aloud with the same intonation.

2 Do you think the questions are likely to have a rising or a falling tone?

Joe and Olivia are going on holiday in the morning, but Joe isexcited and can't sleep. Do you think Joe's questions are likely tohave a rising tone (put ↑ in the box) or a falling tone (↓)?

J: Are you awake? ↓ О: Mmm.
J: I wonder what time it is? ____ O: Er, four o'clock.
J: When did you book the taxi for? ____ O: Eight.
J: Which terminal does the plane leave from? ____ O: Don't know.
J: You don't know? ____ O: No.
J: Doesn't Philip work at the airport? ____ O: No, Adam.
J: Are you sure? ____ O: Yes.
J: What time is it again? ____ O: Four.
J: Would you mind if I put the radio on? ____ O: No.
J: When's the taxi coming? ____ О: Zzzzz.

Now listen and check your predictions. Then listen again, takingJoe's part. Press 'pause' before each of Joe's questions and read themaloud. Then press 'play' again and compare your pronunciation with whatfollows.

3 Underline fall-rising or rising tones.

Listen and decide whether each question is asked mainly for socialreasons (with a fall-rising tone) or to make sure (with a rising tone).Underline ↓↑ or ↑. Key.The last prominent syllable in each question, where the falling or rising tone starts, is in capital letters. 1 Can I get you another DRINK? ↓↑ 2 Have you been here beFORE? ↓↑ 3 wasn't DON at the meal? ↑ 4 Can you see it more CLEARly now? ↑ 5 would you like me to FETCH it for you? ↓↑ Example: Is it okay to park here? ↓↑ / ↑ 1 Can I get you another drink? ↓↑ / ↑ 2 Have you been here before? ↓↑ / ↑ 3 Wasn't Don at the meal? ↓↑ / ↑ 4 Can you see it more clearly now? ↓↑ / ↑ 5 Would you like me to fetch it for you? ↓↑ / ↑
Now check your answers in the Key. Then say the questions aloud with the same intonation.
Follow up: Finda recording of an episode of a 'soap opera', that is, a series aboutthe lives of a particular group of characters. Listen and write downthe first ten yes-no and wh-questions that are spoken. Is the last tone in each a rise, a fall, ora fall-rise? Does the information in this unit help you to understandeach choice?

Unit 42 Unit 43 Unit 44

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