The Power of Intonation

Have you sat in a meeting lately and just could not gather the right words to say? Maybe you spoke the right words, but your intonation was missing and your words were not effective.

What exactly is intonation and why is it important? Great question and I want to provide the answer as well as a few examples. Intonation is the sound changes produced by the rise and fall of the voice when speaking, especially when this has an effect on the meaning of what is said:

The end of a sentence that is not a question is usually marked by falling intonation.

The above sentence is a great example of the falling intonation put into practice. Since the sentence is not a question at the end of the sentence your intonation should fall. Many people speak without the correct rise and fall in their voice, so their words do not carry the right meaning and emphasis.

Here is another example- Is the dinner on Friday?

The above sentence is a question so the word Friday should have a rising intonation. (Friday is being emphasized). There are three main patterns of intonation in English and they are falling intonation, rising intonation, and rise-fall intonation.

Falling intonation

Falling intonation describes how the voice falls on the final stressed syllable of a phrase or a group of words. Falling intonation is very common in wh- questions. (Where did you go on vacation?)

Rising intonation

Rising intonation describes how the voice rises at the end of the sentence. Rising intonation is common in questions with a yes-no reply. ( Can you get the tickets?)

Rise-fall intonation

Rise-fall intonation describes how the voice rises and then falls. One way we use rise-fall intonation is in statements that list items. ( He is driving through France, Italy, and Spain.) France and Italy would rise and Spain would fall when saying this statement.

Pitch and emotions are also important when you speak English. Depending on what you are saying- you may need a low, medium or high pitch. (Pitch is all about the speaker's personality). Emotions also impact the way you speak. The level of emotion can change the pitch level. When the situation is intense, the pitch increases. For example, You're having a baby? The person will say this with an emotion of surprise since this is unexpected news.

You can be prepared for your next meeting by working on your intonation with a proven professional. Don't delay, let your intonation rise to the right level with the right message.

Learning about intonation is the first step, applying the intonation rules is the next step. Contact our office via email- at [email protected] or DM on LinkedIn for more information. Being able to express yourself with the correct intonation skills is certainly possible- Let us help YOU!!!

Interview Impact (Strategy #2)

When you are preparing for your next job interview, make sure your CV/Resume truly reflects your job experience. Write your resume using very descriptive words like- collaborate, impacted, organized, created, developed, achieved, implemented, lead, trained, supervised, etc. Begin to practice saying these words as you anticipate the questions that will be asked in your next interview. All the best.