Shadowing Practice: What is intonation in English? How many types does it have? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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If you want to improve your English pronunciation, sound more like a native speaker and make yourself understood better,
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then you have to learn about intonation.
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Hello, I'm Matty from POC English
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and in this lesson we are going to talk about intonation in English pronunciation intonation before we start
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if you want to receive the lesson summary of this video
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and my future videos in a single pdf file whenever i
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post a new video on youtube you can simply give me your email address
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but how click on the link above my head go to my website enter your email address
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and click subscribe you will receive my lesson summaries for free in the form of a pdf file
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so what is intonation to put it simply intonation is the melody of spoken english it is the way in
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which your voice rises
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and falls as you speak let me show you an example
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i am watching this video to improve my english i am
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watching this video to improve my english see now why does intonation matter.
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Intonation is not just to add beauty to your speech.
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It can change the meaning of what you say.
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For one thing, intonation can highlight the central point in a sentence.
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Rising the intonation on a certain word in a sentence can show
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that that word is the center of the message that you want to deliver with that sentence.
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For example, I like to play tennis.
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I like to play tennis.
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I like to play tennis.
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I like to play tennis.
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If I say that I like to play tennis, it means that it's me who wants to play tennis, not you, not him, not her.
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If I say I like to play tennis it means i
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like it i don't hate it the central point is like
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if i say i like to play tennis it means
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that i want to play it i don't want to watch it and
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if i say i like to play tennis it means i
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like to play tennis i don't want to play soccer as
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you can see the same sentence could have four different meanings
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just by raising my tone of voice on a specific word in
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that sentence for another thing intonation can show attitude it can reflect the attitude of the speaker for example
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if you are happy you tend to raise your voice and if you are sad you lower it
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let me give you an example
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if i am happy i would say i want to play tennis if i am sad i would say
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I want to play tennis.
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You see?
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So the intonation and the loudness of my voice can show the attitude, even though my face does not change.
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I want to play tennis.
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I want to play tennis.
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Now, if you add intonation to some facial expressions, then you can deliver a very concise message i want to
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play tennis i want to play tennis now let's learn about intonation patterns
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there are three main intonation patterns look at this example do you like tennis
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i don't play tennis but i like it one more time do you like tennis do you like tennis
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I don't play tennis.
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I don't play tennis, but I like it.
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I like it.
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In this sentence, you can see three different intonation patterns.
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The first one is a rising intonation.
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Do you like tennis?
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Tennis.
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Tennis.
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Repeat after me.
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Tennis.
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So your voice rises.
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Do you like tennis? the second one is a fall rise intonation
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which means first your voice falls
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and then it rises I don't play tennis repeat after me I don't play tennis I don't play tennis
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and the third one is falling intonation
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which means your tone of voice falls down
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but I like it I like it I like it I don't say I like it no I like it
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so let's read the sentence again repeat after me do you like tennis I don't play tennis
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but I like it now it is time to learn more about these patterns
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and see when to use which one of them.
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in order to improve your pronunciation and speak more clearly.
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The first pattern is falling intonation.
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Falling intonation.
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We use it when we are talking about something which will definitely happen or that is complete.
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So use it when you are certain of something.
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Let's have a look at some examples.
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I have to work.
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I have to work.
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Repeat after me and notice that the last word has a falling intonation.
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It means my voice comes down.
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I have to work.
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This is for sure.
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I'm certain of it.
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I have to work.
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I have to work.
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Let's see another example.
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Here's your book.
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Here's your book.
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Pay attention.
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Here's your book.
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I couldn't find it.
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I couldn't find it.
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I couldn't find it.
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I finished my homework.
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I finished my homework.
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I finished my homework.
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I want to see you tomorrow.
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I want to see you tomorrow.
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I want to see you tomorrow.
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So we use the falling intonation when we are sure and certain of something or to talk about something which is complete.
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Falling intonation is also very common in WH questions.
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For example, what time does the movie begin?
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what time does the movie begin as you can see as
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i get to the end of the sentence my tone of
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voice falls down what time does the movie begin where is
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the nearest bus stop where's the nearest bus stop where's the
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nearest bus stop why do you study english why do you
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study english why do you study english the next pattern is
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rising intonation rising intonation is very common in yes no questions your voice rises
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when you get to the end of the question for example is he sad
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lesson up is he sad i don't say is he sad
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no is he sad it's a yes no question yes he is No, he isn't.
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Is he sad?
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Is she our doctor?
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Is she our doctor?
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Is she our doctor?
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Did they call?
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Did they call?
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Did they call?
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Now, look at this question.
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Are you watching the movie or not?
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This is called an alternative question because you have two alternatives.
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One before or and one after or when you have
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or in a question that's an alternative question and
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when you have an alternative question before or you have a rising intonation
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and after or you have a falling intonation
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so let's read this question again together are you watching the movie
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or not are you watching the movie or not are you watching the movie
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or not another example is he sitting or standing?
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Is he sitting or standing?
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Are they coming or going?
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Are they coming or going?
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And the third pattern of intonation is a fall rise intonation
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which has a fall and then it's followed by a rise in your tone of voice.
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We use this when something is incomplete or we are uncertain of something
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or we still want to continue the sentence
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and the sentence is not finished yet look at this i'm tired i'm tired this is a simple falling intonation
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which means i'm talking about something that i am sure of
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and the sentence is complete i'm tired but look at this one i'm tired
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but let's go out and have some fun i'm tired i'm tired
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but let's go out
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and have some fun the first part of the sentence has a fall rise intonation I'm tired
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which means the sentence is not complete yet.
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I still want to continue the sentence.
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I want to show contrast.
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I'm tired but let's go out and have some fun.
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Look at this one.
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I don't play tennis.
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I don't play tennis.
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This is the following intonation because I'm sure of it.
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I don't play tennis but look at this one i don't play tennis
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but i like watching it i don't play tennis
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but i like watching it the first half of the sentence has a fall rise intonation on the word tennis
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i don't play tennis which means the sentence is not complete yet
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and i want to show contrast i don't play tennis
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but i like watching it in these two examples the fall rise intonation was on one word.
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Tennis.
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tired it's also possible that the fall rise intonation are separately on two different words
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so one word with the falling and one word with the rising intonation
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that is also called the fall rise intonation this fall rise intonation shows
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that my sentence is not complete
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and i want to talk about a contrasting point the first week was good
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but the second week was terrible the first week has a
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falling intonation was good as a rising intonation this is a fall rise intonation
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and it shows that the sentence is not complete the first week was good
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but the second week was terrible
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or look at this one she's quite a good teacher she's quite a good teacher the intonation shows
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that the sentence is not complete
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and by hearing this sentence your mind immediately looks for a
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but listen to it again she's quite a good teacher okay
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but she's quite a good teacher
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but she's a bit old she's quite a good teacher
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but she's a bit old on the adverb quite we have
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a falling intonation she's quite a good teacher on the word
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teacher we have a rising intonation she's quite a good teacher
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and that's it guys we have learned about three patterns of intonation falling rising
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and the fall rise intonation
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and we have learned how intonation can help us improve our pronunciation sound more like a native speaker
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and make ourselves understood better and don't forget
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if you want to receive the lesson summary of this video with all other future videos
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when i post them on youtube in your email in a pdf file click on the link above my head, go to my website, enter your email address and hit subscribe.
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See you!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “What is intonation in English? How many types does it have?”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: intonation, tennis, sentence, rise, fall. This video has 177 sentences and 1706 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:40. The speaker talks at a steady 146 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| intonation noun | /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/ | The rise and fall of the voice in speaking. |
| pronunciation noun | /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ | The formal or informal way in which a word is made to sound when spoken. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| concise adjective | /kənˈsaɪs/ | Brief, yet including all important information. |
| loudness noun | The perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure, measured in sones or phons. | |
| melody noun | /ˈmɛl.ə.di/ | A sequence of notes that makes up a musical phrase. |
| incomplete adjective | /ɪn.kəmˈpliːt/ | Not complete; not finished. |
| uncertain adjective | /ʌnˈsɜɹ.tən/ | Not certain; unsure. |
| separately adverb | /ˈsɛp.ɹət.li/ | In a separate manner; not together; apart. |
| facial adjective | /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/ | Of or affecting the face. |
| highlight verb | /ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/ | To make prominent; emphasize. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| fall down verb | /fɔl ˈdaʊn/ | To fall to the ground. To collapse. |
| come down verb | To descend, fall down, collapse. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I don't play tennis, but I like it.
- Do you like tennis?
- Let's have a look at some examples.
- Is she our doctor?
- Are you watching the movie or not?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is called · is not finished · is also called |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | something which will · something which is · tennis which means |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have learned |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | am watching · is falling · are talking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 36 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, couldn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, facial /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/
- Long words — get the stress right: intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like intonation, pronunciation, homework.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.