Simon shows Nora the correct way of using intonation when speaking to others.
Phone-in Lesson 27
Download Phone-in Lessons 2002 – Lesson 27 (ZIP, 2.6MB)
| Nora and Simon are discussing the upcoming travel exhibition… | |
| Nora: | Only a few days to go to the convention, Simon. I’m getting quite nervous about being on the stand. |
| Simon: | What’s worrying you, Nora? |
| Nora: | I’m scared my English won’t be good enough. There’ll be so many people from overseas. I want to make a good impression. |
| Simon: | Is there anything I can do to help? |
| Nora: | Can I practise with you? |
| Simon: | Good idea! I’ll be a visitor who’s just come to the stand. |
| Simon & Nora: | Hello there! Good morning! |
| Simon: | I’ll start. Good morning – can you show me how your website works? |
| Simon: | Hello there! Nora – say something! |
| Nora: | Don’t know what to say. Cannot say ‘no’ – visitor might go away. Cannot say ‘yes’, I’m just the receptionist! |
| Nora: |
I agree with you up to a point, Nora. ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ on their own are certainly too short and curt. But saying nothing at all makes it looks as if you don’t understand! That’s even worse! And you can’t keep saying ‘cannot’. You know that’s not good English. |
| Nora: | Good English, good English… What should I say? |
| Simon: | How about this: ‘Let me find someone to help you, Mr…’ (rising intonation). |
| Nora: | Let me find someone to help you mister… |
| Simon: | Better… but you need to work on your intonation. |
| Nora: | Into what? |
| Narrator: | Intonation! That means the way your voice rises and falls as you speak. If your intonation is flat it can sound boring, or just plain rude. |
| Replay… | |
| Nora: | Let me find someone to help you mister… |
| Narrator: | In Nora’s message, the words ‘find’ and ‘help’ are the most important, so those words need more emphasis. |
| Replay… | |
| Simon: | ‘Let me find someone to help you, Mr…’ (rising intonation). |
| Narrator: | Notice how Simon’s intonation rises on the word ‘Mr’? |
| Replay… | |
| Simon: | ‘Let me find someone to help you, Mr…’ (rising intonation). |
| Narrator: | Let’s see what happens when Nora tries this out… |
| Nora: | Let me find someone to help you, Mr… (rising intonation). |
| Simon: | Barnes. Simon Barnes. |
| Narrator: | So a rising intonation indicates you want the listener to supply the missing information. |
| Nora: | So when do we use a falling intonation? |
| Simon: | Usually when you’ve finished saying what you want to say. (falling intonation). (He repeats). xxx Do you think you can put all these tips together Nora? |
| Jaya: | Do you think you can put all these tips together Nora? |
| Narrator: |
I’ll try! Here goes. We’re almost at the end of our Phone-in lessons. (falling intonation). But there are still three more to go. (falling intonation). So be sure not to miss them! (falling intonation). |
| Nora: | How was that? |
| Simon & Jaya: | Very good! Should go down well. |
Quiz Point
‘Mister’ and ‘Mr’ are pronounced the same. However, it is impolite to call someone simply ‘Mister’. If we don’t know the name, we should say “Sir”. If we want to use the title ‘Mr’, we should follow it with the person’s name: “Mr Das”, “Mr Barnes”.
Written by Niamh O’ Leary, Laraine Bamrah, Harry Allen, Clare Williams, Shirley Lim and Alaisdair Raynham for The British Council, in association with the Speak Good English Movement.
© Ministry of Information and The Arts and British Council Singapore 2002.
