Article: Explain that intonation usually falls at the end of a complete thought. The speaker lowers their pitch to indicate that they’ve finished making a declarative statement. Hum intonation for example sentences with a kazoo to make it easier for students to recognize changes in pitch.  A declarative sentence claims or asserts something. An imperative sentence gives a command, and intonation usually falls at the ends of these sentences, too. The other types of sentences are interrogative, which ask a question, and exclamatory, which declare something with excitement or emotion. Intonation usually rises at the ends of these sentences. Demonstrate how intonation waves, or falls and rises just slightly, to anticipate the statements that follow a clause or come next in a list. Provide examples such as independent clauses set off by commas, lists separated by serial commas, and phone numbers.  For example, recite, “He bought apples, oranges, and bananas.” Exaggerate how you inflect “apples” and “oranges” to anticipate the next word in the list, but lower your pitch on “bananas” to indicate you’ve completed your thought. A more complex example would be, “When you go to the store, which is on your way home from work, please buy apples, oranges, and bananas.” Intonation subtly waves at “store” and “work” to anticipate the sentence’s next clauses, and rises and falls when the fruits are listed. Note that some statements are straightforward, such as “How was your day?” or “Will you hold this for me?” However, a speaker might end a seemingly declarative statement with a rising tone to ask for clarification or make an exclamation.  For example, “I should go to the store” looks like a declarative sentence. However, a speaker might raise their pitch at “store,” as if to say, “Do you want me to go to the store?” Additionally, rising intonation can indicate shock, surprise, or confusion. Exclamations such as "I am so proud of you!" or "Get out of the way!" typically begin at a higher pitch than a speaker's normal speech. Intonation often rises suddenly at the end of the exclamation. Mention that speakers might end a question with a lower pitch to express dissatisfaction or sarcasm. Since these examples can be subtle, exaggerate your falling tone or use the kazoo to clearly mark the lower pitch.  An example could be, “Why did you do that,” as if to say, “I’m frustrated that you did that.” For ”What did they do now,” intonation might be lower and syllable length longer for “now,” which implies exasperation. Demonstrate how important intonation is by performing 2 versions of a sample dialogue with a student. Have them ask you questions, and respond with varied, enthusiastic intonation. Perform the dialogue again, and respond to their questions with flat, uninterested, or sarcastic intonation.  Suppose the first question is, “Are you going to the game?” Explain how saying “I am” with a rising intonation expresses excitement, while replying with a falling intonation can indicate disappointment or disinterest. Use your facial expressions and body language to clarify how different pitches communicate emotions.
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Demonstrate falling intonation at the end of a declarative sentence. Explain how intonation waves after a mid-sentence clause. Show students how intonation rises at the end of a question. Provide examples of subtle intonation cues that express meaning. Recite the same dialogue with enthusiastic and flat pitches.