Read the following conversational situations with statements. Remember, when the statements get longer they sound considered and weighty.

1. How much did you pay for it? – It ˈcosts ˈover ­two ˈhundred ˎpounds.

2. What is the weather like? – I ˈthink it is ˈgoing to ˎrain.

3. When can you come? – As ˈsoon as the ˈweather imˎproves.

4. Why didn’t the guard let you in? – He ˏsaid ∣he ˈcouldn’t ˈlet me ˈin without a ˎpass.

5. Have you any news of Malcolm? – We ˈhaven’t ˈheard from him for ˎages.

6. How did you spend the morning? – I ˈstayed in ˈbed until ˈnearly ˎlunch time.

7. David has grown a beard. – ˈSo he ˎhas.

8. What’s the time, please? – ˈTen ˈminutes to ˎnine.

9. I don’t like this film. – I enˈtirely aˎgree with you.

II

The high fall

Statements withthe high fall sound insistent, lively and interested, sometimes surprised. They are very common in conversation.

E.g. Mrs. Howard: Oh, but I’m sure he’ll win a scholarship.

Nora: `Yes, we `hope he ˏwill. (lively) (Meet the Parkers 3)

Harry: ˈNo, ˎseriously, ˏNora, │ I ˈcan’t `bear it. (insistent) (Meet the Parkers 12)

Exercise 1.

Read the following conversational situations with statements, use the high fall. Convey your personal concern, including irritation or interest.

1. – Now what have you done to Mary? – `Nothing.

2. – Who has been eating my grapes? – `No one.

`No one has.

`No one’s been ˌeating your ˌwretched ˌgrapes.

3. – Which will you take, Henry? – `This one.

4. – How many of his books have you read? – `All of them.

5. – When did you see him? – On `Thursday.

6. – Would you like to join us? – I’d `love to.

7. – Come on. Let’s get going. – We `can’t. It’s `raining.

8. – It was your entire fault. – But it `wasn’t. And I can `prove it.

9. – What was the show like? – `First rate. ˈSimply `splendid.

10. – It’s not very valuable, is it? – It ˈcosts `three ˌhundred ˌpounds.

11. – We’ll never get there. – It’s `not as ˌfar as you iˌmagine.

12. – Which would you like, tea or coffee? – I’d preˈfer `tea.

13. – I may be a bit late. – It ˈwouldn’t ˈmatter in the `least.

14. – Has he caught up with the group? – `Better than that. He is the `best in the ˌgroup.

15. – Why doesn’t she join our trips? – ˈSometimes she `does.

16. – I’m an amateur. – I’ll ˈnever beˎlieve it. You are ˈgood at ˈtennis in`deed.

17. – Where is my tie? It’s gone again. – You `never reˌmember where you ˌput your ˌthings.

18. – Let’s go to the pictures tonight. – I ˈreally ‵can’t. I’ve ˈgot a `lot of ˌwork to ˌdo.

19. – I’m going to consult a doctor. – It’s ˈhigh ˈtime you `thought about your ˌhealth.

20. – We are leaving tonight. – It’s a `pity. You ˈpromised to ˈstay with us a ˈbit `longer.

 

Exercise 2.

Read the following conversational situations. Use either the low fall or the high fall in accordance with the speaker’s attitude given in brackets.

1. – I’m going to consult a doctor.

– It’s high time you thought about your health. (weighty)

– It’s high time you thought about your health. (lively)

2. – We are leaving tonight.

– It’s a pity. You promised to stay with us a bit longer. (weighty)

– But you promised to stay with us a bit longer. (surprised)

3. – Why don’t you go to the doctor?

– Sometimes I do. (weighty)

– Sometimes I do. (surprised)

4. – How many students of your group were present?

– All of them. (calm)

– All of them. (lively)

5. – I’m an amateur.

– I’ll never believe it. You are very good at tennis indeed. (weighty)

– I’ll never believe it. (surprised) You are very good at tennis indeed. (lively)

6. – I may be a bit late.

– It wouldn’t matter in the least. (calm)

– It wouldn’t matter in the least. (lively)

7. – I don’t often have time these days.

– Yes, there are so many other things to do. (lively)

– Yes, there are so many other things to do. (weighty)

8. – I’ll ring you tomorrow to confirm if we are coming.

– Fine. (lively)

– Fine. (calm)

9. – All his friends are just the same.

– All of them are wild. (surprised)

– All of them are wild. (weighty)

10. – Do you like to play squash?

– Yes, and I enjoy myself in the process. (calm and weighty)

– Yes, and I enjoy myself in the process. (lively)

11. – You haven’t got to go yet, have you?

– There is no need to rush. (lively)

– There is no need to rush. (weighty)

12. – The exams were much too hard for me.

– Oh, come on. You’ve probably done better than you think. (lively)

– Oh, come on. You’ve probably done better than you think (weighty)

13. – I’m not much of a swimmer.

– Well, I’m hardly the world’s best swimmer myself. (lively)

– Well, I’m hardly the world’s best swimmer myself. (calm)

14. – I don’t think I’ll fly.

– Well, the air-fair is quite expensive, I admit. (surprised)

– Well, the air-fair is quite expensive, I admit. (calm and weighty)

 

III

The low rise

 

With the descending scale statements with the low rise sound soothing and reassuring.

E.g. Nora: Yes, of course, Mrs. Howard, I mustn’t boast, but it ˈ really is a ˏ comfort │ to ˈ have ˈ such a ↑ hard-working ˈ boy as ˏ Robert.

Exercise 1.

Read the following conversational situations, use the low rise. The statements reserve judgments and encourage further conversation.

1. Have you heard about Max? – ˏNo.

2. Whose book is this? – ˏMine.

3. How many blouses have you got? – ˏSix.

4. Aren’t they expensive? – ˈSome of them ˏare.

5. Can he come to tea tomorrow? – ˈMaybe he ˏcan.

6. I’m sorry, I’m late again. – That ˈdoesn’t ˏmatter.

7. How about asking Max to join us? – He ˈought to be ˈable to ˈget aˏway.

8. Do you think the proposal is reasonable? – On the ˈwhole it’s ˈquite ˏfair.

9. Can you turn up at nine on Tuesday? – As a ˈrule I ˏcan.

Exercise 2.

Read the statements with the descending scale in the conversational situations. They sound soothing, reassuring, sometimes surprised.

1. Alice is leaving. – ˎYes, │ she ˈwants to ˈgo to the ˏPark.

2. Shall I buy the TV set? – If you ˈdon’t ˈfind it ↑too exˏpensive.

3. The furniture is new but not quite modern. – It ˈdoesn’t ˈmatter ˈall ˏthat much.

4. I’d like to have a bite. – Perˈhaps we’ll ˈgo to a ˈcafé for a ˈcup of ˏcoffee.

5. Tell me, doctor. Is he badly hurt? – ˈNothing at ˈall ˏserious. ˈJust a ˈfew ˏbruises.

6. I don’t think I’ll ever do it. – You ˏwill. It’s ˈjust a ˈmatter of ˏpractice.

7. Shall we write a dictation tomorrow? – I beˏlieve so.

8. I’ll give a talk on Cronin. – ˈSince you are ˏfond of him.

9. When shall we start? – ˈAny ˈtime that ˏsuits you.

 

Exercise 3.

Read the following conversational situations. Use either the low fall or the low rise

In accordance with the speaker’s attitude given in brackets.

1. – Mum, Alice is leaving.

– Yes, she wants to go to the Park. (soothing)

– Yes, she wants to go to the Park (weighty)

2. – I thought I was to be given some fish for supper.

– Perhaps we’ll go to a restaurant for supper. (reassuring)

– Perhaps we’ll go to a restaurant for supper. (calm and weighty)

3. – Shall I buy this TV set?

– If you don’t find it too expensive. (calm)

– If you don’t find it too expensive. (soothing)

4. – I don’t think I’ll ever master the language.

– You will. It’s just a matter of practice. (soothing)

– You will. It’s just a matter of practice. (calm and weighty)

5. – How about asking him to come a bit later?

– All right. I’ll have a talk with him. (soothing)

– All right. I’ll have a talk with him. (calm and weighty)

IV

The high rise

 

Statements with the high rise have in most cases the effect of questions expressing wonder.

E.g. You ˊlike him? (is equivalent to ˈDo you ˏlike him?)

ˊSugar? (is equivalent to ˈDo you ˈtake ˏsugar?)

Exercise 1.

Read the following conversational situations, use the high rise expressing wonder.

1. We shall have to return. – Imˊmediately?

2. Careful. – ˊCareful?

3. Pity! – ˊPity?

4. I should phone him about it. – ˊNow?

5. What do you think of my dress? – ˊNew?

6. Could I have another cup of tea? – ˊSugar?

7. I’ve just read that new travel book. – ˊInteresting?

8. I listened to every word he said. – ˊEvery word?

9. Everybody thinks it’s magnificent. – ˊEverybody?

10. He’s going on holiday. – Aˊlone?

11. I’ve given up missing classes. – For ˊgood?

12. What do you think of the car? – Your ˊown?

13. I’ve just met her husband. – You ˊlike him?

14. Have you seen my bag anywhere? – You’ve ˊlost it?

15. Alan’s not here, I’m afraid. – He’s gone ˊhome?

16. We are going shopping. – ˊRight away?

17. Let’s go to the restaurant. – You’ve got eˊnough money?

18. I believe he is in Syktyvkar now. – In ˊSyktyvkar?

19. We spent the whole day on the beach. – The ˊwhole day?

20. It’s getting warmer. – You ˊthink so?

 

V

The fall-rise

The fall-rise is a combination of the high fall and the low rise.

Statements with the fall-rise are used when the speaker draws a special attention to one element of the sentence for the purpose of contrast and at the same time shows an intention to continue the utterance. On the whole the fall-rise in statements conveys several meanings. It may sound apologetic, appreciative, grateful, regretful, sympathetic, pleading, plaintive, reassuring.

E.g. On ˋweek days I ˏstudy, ∣ but on ˋSaturdays I ˏdon’t. (contrast)

As ˋsoon as I ˌmake it ˏclean∣ the ˌboys make it ˋdirty aˌgain. (regretful)

Exercise 1.