INTONATION (KCSE ENGLISH PAPER ONE)

CLASS: FORM TWO

ORAL SKILLS: LISTENING AND SPEAKING

STRESS AND INTONATION

Stress and intonation help your English sound clear and more natural. This way, people will understand what you are saying easily. 

INTONATION 

Objective:

By the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to use the rising and falling intonation correctly. 

Intonation 

Intonation is the rise and fall of voice in speech. The voice can change in pitch from low to high or high to low. 

 

We have two main types of intonation; 

                    I.        Rising intonation 

                  II.        Falling intonation 

 

Falling intonation 

Falling intonation describes how the voice falls on the last stressed syllable of a phrase or a group of words. It’s used in asking questions or giving information in a normal style.

 It conveys certain emotions e.g. finality, completion, confidence etc. 

 

Falling intonation is common with; 

    a.       Wh- questions (which do not take yes-no answers) 

Where can we park? 

What is your name? 

 

b.   General/regular statements or comments 

We are learning English. 

My name is Nabwile. 

 

c.    Commands

Get out! 

Look at me when I talk to you. 

Sit down. 

 

d.   Exclamatory statements 

You are such a good friend! 

What a pleasant surprise! 

 

e.   Alternative questions 

Do you want water or juice? 

Would you like to see a movie or visit the park? 

 

f.    Tag questions 

Using falling intonation in tag questions shows that you are certain and expect “yes” as an answer. 

You love English, don’t you? 

  

Rising intonation 

It describes how your voice rises at the end of the sentence. Rising intonation may express various emotions such as surprise, doubt, politeness etc. 

It may also show readiness or eagerness to continue a conversation; shows that you are interested in the conversation. 

 

Do you enjoy learning English? 

Yes. (Eager to continue the conversation) 

 

They are used in various situations; 

 

                                  i.     Yes-no questions 

Are you hungry? 

Would you like some tea? 

Did you just arrive? 

 

ii.   Express emotions such as shock/anger/surprise 

What have you done!

What happened! 

 

iii. Request clarification 

You need two copies, don’t you? 

 

iv. Making requests 

May I borrow your pen? 

   

KCSE SAMPLE QUESTIONS ON INTONATION 

KCSE ENGLISH KCSE 2019 Paper 1 

3 (c) Identify the intonation in the following sentences: 

    i.        Did you do your work? 

  ii.        What beautiful girl! 

iii.        Get out of sight now. 

 

KCSE ENGLISH KCSE 2014 Paper 1 

3 (c) Which intonation would you use to say to each other underlined words? (5 marks) 

Malusu: Omenda, what time is the meeting tomorrow ? 

Omenda: (surprised) Tomorrow! 

Malusu: Yes, you didn’t forget, did you? 

Omenda: I’m afraid I did.  

 

KCSE ENGLISH 2011 Paper 1 

3 (a) Against each of the following sentences, indicate whether you would end with a rising or falling intonation. 

i.        You actually saw the pyramids? 

ii.        My younger sister has identical twins. 

iii.        Why did you oversleep? 

iv.        Could I come with you, please? 

v.        What a tragic experience that was! 

Next we analyse oral skills notes on stress.