美语听力与发音技巧

 　　Welcome to Daily Tips on Learning English. Today’s tip is on the intonation¹ of tag questions.

　　Tag questions are used in two very different ways, and the difference depends on whether you use a rising or falling pitch at the end of the tag question. One way tag questions are used is to get your listener to agree with you about something you think is a fact, or must be true.

　　If you think a lady is beautiful, you say, “She is beautiful, isn’t she?↘” You expect the listener to say, “Yes, she is.” If you know a man is not rich, you say, “He isn’t rich, is he?↘” You expect the listener to say, “No, he isn’t.” When you use a tag question to get your listener to agree, you must use a falling intonation. “She is beautiful, isn’t she?↘” “He isn’t rich, is he?↘”

　　The other way tag questions are used is to ask for information. You don’t know the answer, so you ask in a question. “She is beautiful, isn’t she?↗” “He isn’t rich, is he?↗” when you really don’t know the answer, you should use a rising intonation. So, “He isn’t rich, is he?↘” you know that he isn’t rich. But, “He isn’t rich, is he?↗” you don’t know whether he is rich or not.

　　Listen to another example. “You like Taiwan, don’t you?↗” “You like Taiwan, don’t you?↘”

　　So remember to use the proper intonation when you use tag questions.

　　This has been today’s daily tip on learning English. Tune² in tomorrow for another tip.

1 intonation   

n.语调，声调；发声

参考例句：

• The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
• Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

2 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。