Pitch and Intonation in American English

Intonation For Clear Communication – Why Intonation Is So Important in American English

So you’re ready to improve your intonation! You’d like to communicate what you mean and express how you feel when speaking English. You get that intonation involves pitch, but you realize that it goes beyond the rises and falls of your voice. You want to understand why intonation is so important for clear communication. In this video, we’re going to talk about why intonation matters so much in American English. You’ll learn the most important … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Change Your Meaning with Your Voice – Intonation, Inflection, & Tone of Voice

You can say the same question in several different ways: What are you doing? (falling intonation) What are YOU doing? WHAT are you doing? What are you doing? (steep fall in pitch) What are you doing? (wavy pitch) What are you doing? (flat pitch) Even though the words are the same, the feeling you get from them is totally different. In this video, you’re going to learn three ways to change your meaning with your … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Pitch and Intonation When Speaking English – Intonation for Statements, Questions & Thought Groups

Have you noticed how English speakers may finish a statement or a question with their pitch higher at the end? Other times, you can hear that their pitch falls steeply at the end. Or perhaps you’ve noticed how slight rises in pitch throughout the sentence help you follow along with their thoughts. These subtle changes in pitch help us communicate our meaning through intonation. In this video, we’re going to talk all about pitch and … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Indirect Questions – Make Requests and Offer Subtle Suggestions

Do you happen to know what time it is? I was wondering if you’d help me move next week. Could you tell me where the nearest station is? Notice anything interesting about these sentences? That’s right – they’re questions hiding within other questions or statements. If you’ve ever missed answering a question because the question was actually hidden within a statement or another question, then this video will help. In this video, you’ll learn how … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Communicate Clearly and Confidently in American English – Four Ways to Use Your Voice

One of the biggest concerns I hear from my clients and students is that they want how they sound in English to reflect the quality of their ideas. In other words, they want to communicate clearly and confidently, so that other people can easily understand and follow what they’re saying. Let’s talk about four ways you can improve how you use your voice in order to speak more clearly so that you’re more easily understood. … Read the article and watch the video lesson

Show You’re Listening with Intonation – Short Questions and Responses For Better Conversations in English

Go on… What happened? I know! Seriously?! No way! Want to have better conversations in English? Then show you’re listening and interested by using short expressions and questions that reflect how you feel through your intonation. These expressions and questions are rejoinders or short responses that show you’re actively participating and engaged in the conversation. Without them, the conversation may feel a little one-sided and the other person may feel less motivated to keep talking. … Read the article and watch the video lesson