Audio Exercises

Unit 6

Beyond the Segment: Stress and Intonation

Unit 6 – Exercise 1

Stress notation. Listen and repeat the following two-, three- and four-syllabled words. Note down where the stress is, using the diachritic ˈ before the stressed syllable.

2-syllabled again bacon behave bible discuss
3-syllabled attractive photograph consider persistent library
4-syllabled contradicting dictionary directory photographic insoluble
5-syllabled etymology vocabulary pronunciation electricity assimilation

2-syllabled aˈgain ˈbacon beˈhave ˈbible disˈcuss
3-syllabled aˈttractive ˈphotograph conˈsider perˈsistent ˈlibrary
4-syllabled contraˈdicting ˈdictionary diˈrectory photoˈgraphic inˈsoluble
5-syllabled etyˈmology voˈcabulary pronunˈciation elecˈtricity assimiˈlation

Unit 6 – Exercise 2

Stress notation patterns. Identification. When you hear the number, pronounce the word and note down where the stress is, using the diachritic ˈ before the stressed syllable. Then listen and repeat carefully.

1. banana 2. project 3. police 4. unpack 5. national
6. apple 7. photography 8. identify 9. pyramid 10. nation
11. prefer 12. conference 13. winter 14. suburban 15. vegetable
16. pronunciation 17. laboratory 18. alone 19. private 20. sorry

1. baˈnana 2. ˈproject 3. poˈlice 4. unˈpack 5. ˈnational
6. ˈapple 7. phoˈtography 8. iˈdentify 9. ˈpyramid 10. ˈnation
11. preˈfer 12. ˈconference 13. ˈwinter 14. subˈurban 15. ˈvegetable
16. pronunˈciation 17. ˈlaboratory 18. aˈlone 19. ˈprivate 20. ˈsorry

Unit 6 – Exercise 3

Word pairs with variable stress. Production. When you hear the number, pronounce the word given with the right stress according to what part of speech is indicated. Mark the stresses using the diachritic ˈ before the stressed syllable. Then, listen and repeat carefully.

1. accent (n.) 2. compact (adj.) 3. compound (vb.)
4. conflict (vb.) 5. content (adj.) 6. contract (n.)
7. export (vb.) 8. frequent (vb.) 9. insult (n.)
10. perfume (n.) 11. produce (n.) 12. project (vb.)
13. record (vb.) 14. transplant (n.) 15. subject (vb.)

1. ˈaccent (n.) 2. ˈcompact (adj.) 3. comˈpound (vb.)
4. conˈflict (vb.) 5. conˈtent (n.) 6. ˈcontract (adj.)
7. exˈport (vb.) 8. freˈquent (vb.) 9. ˈinsult (n.)
10. ˈperfume (n.) 11. ˈproduce (n.) 12. proˈject (vb.)
13. reˈcord (vb.) 14. ˈtransplant (n.) 15. subˈject (vb.)

Unit 6 – Exercise 4

Suffixes which do not affect the pronunciation of the stem. Production. When you hear the stem, pronounce the inflected word (note that there may be a change in the quality of the vowel). Then, listen and repeat carefully.

1. laughable 2. carriage 3. natural 4. currency 5. christen
6. gardener 7. beautiful 8. apologise 9. finalist 10. compassionless

Unit 6 – Exercise 5

Stress-shifting suffixes. Production. When you hear the stem, pronounce the inflected word. Then, listen and repeat carefully.

1. advantageous 2. cinematography 3. adverbial 4. Canadian 5. alcoholic
6. medicinal 7. conception 8. laborious 9. acidity 10. particular

Unit 6 – Exercise 6

Stress-carrying suffixes. Production. When you hear the stem, pronounce the inflected word. Then, listen and repeat carefully.

1. lemonade 2. dogmatic 3. circulation 4. refugee 5. mountaineer
6. instrumental 7. residential 8. Bolognese 9. propriety 10. herself

Unit 6 – Exercise 7

Compounds. Production. When you hear the number, pronounce the compound and note down where the stress is. Then, listen and repeat carefully.

1. airport 2. typewriter 3. Irish cofee 4. apple tie 5. breakfast
6. right wing 7. cowboy 8. brand-new 9. good-looking 10. income

1. ˈairport 2. ˈtypewriter 3. Irish ˈcoffee 4. apple ˈpie 5. ˈbreakfast
6. right ˈwing 7. ˈcowboy 8. brand-ˈnew 9. good-ˈlooking 10. ˈincome

Unit 6 – Exercise 8

Rhythmical variations. Listen and repeat the following pairs, noticing beat adjustment. Mark the stresses using the diachritic ˈ before the stressed syllables.

1. He went to the car-park the car-park is full
2. At Heathrow airport the train to Heathrow
3 . A hand-made quilt the quilt is hand-made
4. She’s home already she’s already left
5. A letter from the princess a letter from Princess Anne

1. He ˈwent to the car-ˈpark the ˈcar-park is ˈfull
2. At ˈHeathrow ˈairport the ˈtrain to Heathˈrow
3. A ˈhand-made ˈquilt the ˈquilt is hand-ˈmade
4. She’s ˈhome alˈready she’s ˈalready ˈleft
5. A ˈletter from the prinˈcess a ˈletter from ˈPrincess ˈAnne

Unit 6 – Exercise 9

Read the following passage aloud, paying special attention to lexical words, carrying primary stress, and grammatical words, which lose it, as marked. Listen first.

GWe Gshall Ldisˈtinguish Lphoˈnetics Gfrom Lphoˈnology Gfor Lmethodoˈlogical Lˈreasons Gand Gbecause Git Lˈseems Lˈtrue Gthat Lphoˈnetics Gcan Gbe Lˈstudied Gwithout Lˈever Lˈreally ˈgoing Ginto Lphoˈnology, Gwhile Lphoˈnology Gis Lˈclosely Ldeˈpendent Gon Lphoˈnetics Gfor Gthe Lˈdata Gon Gwhich Git Lreˈlies Gto Lpurˈsue Gits Lˈarguments.

Unit 6 – Exercise 10

Listen to the following conversation and mark the intonation boundaries that you hear, using single ∣ and double ∣ ∣ bars. No punctuation is given.

A: Hello

B: come in can I help you Ann

B: I was wondering actually if I could talk to you about my marks

A: Of course sit down would you like a cup of tea

B: Thanks Dr Brown you gave me my assignment last week can we go over it

A: Well first of all I must say I was pleasantly surprised you have improved in the last term now having said that I must admit I was expecting a better essay from you Ann

B: I know I should have done better I know I should’ve you see I’ve had some family problems lately and I haven’t been able to focus however

A: Hello∣ ∣

B: come in ∣ can I help you ∣ Ann∣ ∣

B: I was wondering ∣ actually ∣ if I could talk to you ∣ about my marks ∣ ∣

A: Of course ∣ sit down would you like a cup of tea ∣ ∣

B: Thanks ∣ Dr Brown ∣ you gave me∣ my assignment last week ∣… can we go over it ∣ ∣

A: Well ∣ first of all ∣ I must say I was pleasantly surprised ∣ you have improved in the last term∣ ∣ now ∣ having said that ∣ I must admit I was expecting a better essay from you ∣ Ann

B: I know ∣ I should have done better ∣ ∣ I know I should’ve ∣ ∣ you see ∣ I’ve had some family problems lately ∣ and I haven’t been able to focus ∣ ∣ however ∣

Unit 6 – Exercise 11

Pronounce the following utterances with the appropriate intonation boundaries. Then, listen and repeat (no orthographic punctuation is given).

  1. Tropical storms have been migrating northwards a paper in Nature says
  2. The Facebook Translation Department will make Bolivian a language option
  3. More than 500 museums galleries and historic spaces across France are keeping their doors open
  4. John as far as I can tell they’re in better shape than I am
  5. Look she works out every week she is strong she's doing great
  6. In September 2012 a man in his forties was found dead in Shetland Avenue a suburban street in West Nottingham
  7. A set of six Andy Warhol self-portraits created a year before his death sold at an auction for $40m

Unit 6 – Exercise 12

Listen and repeat. Listen to the following utterances and repeat them with the tone indicated:

Part 1: monosyllables:

Fall \ yes \ blue \ now \ four \ so \ me \ Tom \ please \ good \ then
Rise / yes / blue / now / four / so / me / Tom / please / good / then
Fall-Rise \/ yes \/ blue \/ now \/ four \/ so \/ me \/ Tom \/ please \/ good \/ then
Rise-Fall /\ yes /\ blue /\ now /\ four /\ so /\ me /\ Tom /\ please /\ good /\ then
Level -- yes -- blue -- now -- four -- so -- me -- Tom -- please -- good -- then

Part 2: polysyllables:

Fall \ absolutely \ answered \ never \ with them \ exactly
Rise / absolutely / answered / never / with them / exactly
Fall-Rise \/ absolutely \/ answered \/ never \/ with them \/ exactly
Rise-Fall /\ absolutely /\ answered /\ never /\ with them /\ exactly
Level -- absolutely -- answered -- never -- with them -- exactly

Unit 6 – Exercise 13

Listen and repeat each minimal pair.

1. / no – \ no 2. \/ however – /\ however 3. \/ really – \ really
4. \ what – \/ what 5. \ at last – / at last 6. \/ anyway – \ anyway
7. \/ oh – / oh 8. / Helen – \/ Helen 9. / sure – \ sure

Unit 6 – Exercise 14

Production of tones. After hearing the number, pronounce each utterance with the tone indicated. When you hear it, repeat it again carefully.

1. \ well 2. / stop 3. \ thanks 4. /\ hmmm 5. \/ my
6. \ thank you 7. \/ excuse me 8. /\ O.K 9. \/ another one 10. / expensive

Unit 6 – Exercise 15

Identification of tones. You will hear each utterance twice. Write the symbol identifying the correct tone.

1. green 2. hot 3. who 4. five 5. out
6. definitely 7. probably 8. perhaps 9. for her 10. maybe

carton of milk.
1. \/ green 2. / hot 3. \ who 4. /\ five 5. \/ out
6. / definitely 7. \ probably 8. \/ perhaps 9. / for her 10. /\ maybe

Unit 6 – Exercise 16

Accentual function of intonation. Place the nuclear stress on all the possible words in the following utterances. Then, listen and repeat. Listen to the example:

Example:

  1. I only bought one carton of milk
  2. I only bought one carton of milk
  3. I only bought one carton of milk
  4. I only bought one carton of milk
  5. I only bought one carton of milk
  6. I only bought one carton of milk
  1. I’m not driving to the station
  2. They will buy the microwave next week
  3. When’s he playing?

Unit 6 – Exercise 17

Grammatical function of intonation. Identification. Pronounce each of the following utterances in two different ways (i.e. placing the intonation boundary at a different place), so that different syntactic structures are illustrated. No punctuation marks are given. Listen to the example.

Example

My friends ∣ who live in Lancaster ∣ arrived yesterday ∣∣

My friends who live in Lancaster ∣ ∣ arrived yesterday ∣∣

  1. The boy and the girl in blue are my students
  2. They called John a doctor
  3. I saw Mary Salome Mary’s sister and Miriam
  4. This is my friend Ann
  5. The children who fell suddenly got up
  6. You know I haven’t finished
  7. Tell the children to finish more quickly
  8. He’s leaving Susan
  9. They stopped to read the minutes
  10. The firefighters who behaved bravely were rewarded
  11. Mary my neighbour will come round this evening
  12. A woman without her man is nothing

1. The boy and the girl in blue ∣ are my students∣ ∣
The boy ∣ and the girl in blue ∣ are my students∣ ∣
2. They called John a doctor∣ ∣
They called John ∣ a doctor∣ ∣
3. I saw Mary ∣ Salome Mary’s sister ∣ and Miriam∣ ∣
I saw Mary ∣ Salome ∣ Mary’s sister ∣ and Miriam∣ ∣
4. This is my friend Ann∣ ∣
This is my friend ∣ Ann∣ ∣
5. The children who fell suddenly ∣ got up∣ ∣
TThe children ∣ who fell suddenly ∣ got up∣ ∣
6. You know I haven’t finished∣ ∣
You know ∣ I haven’t finished∣ ∣
7. Tell the children to finish more quickly∣ ∣
YTell the children ∣ to finish more quickly∣ ∣
8. He’s leaving Susan∣ ∣
He’s leaving ∣ Susan∣ ∣
9. They stopped to read the minutes∣ ∣
They stopped ∣ to read the minutes∣ ∣
10. The firefighters who behaved bravely ∣ were rewarded ∣ ∣
The firefighters ∣ who behaved bravely ∣ were rewarded
11. Mary ∣ my neighbour will come round this evening∣ ∣
Mary ∣ my neighbour ∣ will come round this evening∣ ∣
12. A woman without her man ∣ is nothing∣ ∣
A woman ∣ without her ∣ man is nothing∣ ∣

Unit 6 – Exercise 18

Attitudinal function of intonation in context. Pronounce the utterances in Column B as indicated. Listen and repeat carefully. Explain the attitude expressed.

1. A: They will be arriving tomorrow. B: / Tomorrow
2. A: When are they coming? B: \ Tomorrow
3. A: Is that school cheap or expensive? B: \/ Cheap
4. A: You know, they married in secret. B: \/ Never
5. A: Did I tell you about my job? B: \ No
6. A: Did I tell you about my job? B: / No
7. A: Did I tell you about my job? B: /\ No
8. A: Did I tell you about my job? B: \/ No
9. A: Did I tell you about John? B: /\ No
10. A: John’s coming tomorrow! B: \ Really

  1. B: / Tomorrow. A rise is generally understood as a prompt for conversation to continue or to mean that there is something else to follow.
  2. B: \ Tomorrow. A fall is considered a neutral tone, denoting a sense of conclusiveness.
  3. B: \/ Cheap. A fall-rise conveys a sense of hesitation or reservation.
  4. B: \/ Never! Same as number 3.
  5. B: \ No. Same as number 2.
  6. B: / No? Same as number 1.
  7. B: /\ No. The connotations of a rise-fall are those of the expression of strong feelings, such as surprise, doubt and (dis-)approval.
  8. B: \/ No. Same as number 3.
  9. B: /\ No. Same as number 7.
  10. B: \ Really. Same as number 2.

Unit 6 – Exercise 19

Attitudinal function of intonation in context. Imagine a dialogue between A and B. Provide possible utterances for A for each of the following turns of B. Explain B’s attitude. For example: If B says /one (with rising intonation), A could have said: “Would you like one?”, in which case B’s reply means [only one?].

1. /blue 2. \oh 3. /no 4. \yes 5. \/late
6. /don´t know 7. /so 8. \/ Susan 9. /tomorrow 10 \/ by car

Unit 6 – Exercise 20

Discourse function of intonation. Listen and repeat the following utterances with falling intonation (no punctuation is given).

  1. Open your books
  2. Where is the concert
  3. We’re going to France in the summer
  4. What a good idea
  5. What’s your name

Unit 6 – Exercise 21

Discourse function of intonation. Production. After you hear the number, pronounce the following utterances with a falling intonation (no punctuation is given) Then listen and repeat carefully.

  1. Where do you live
  2. Be reasonable
  3. My car broke down on the motorway
  4. Who came with you
  5. How important she feels now
  6. Don’t talk so loud
  7. How old are you
  8. Wait a second
  9. She doesn’t help me at week-ends
  10. Why don’t you like it

Unit 6 – Exercise 22

Discourse function of intonation. Listen and repeat the following utterances with rising intonation (no punctuation is given).

  1. Do you like tea
  2. When I saw you I couldn’t believe it
  3. Wait a second
  4. When’s he coming
  5. Can you swim

Unit 6 – Exercise 23

Discourse function of intonation. Production. After you hear the number, pronounce the following utterances with a rising intonation (no punctuation is given). Then listen and repeat carefully.

  1. Are we going on holidays this summer
  2. Who is coming on Sunday
  3. Can’t they come later
  4. Have you ever been to Spain before
  5. My friends had some good maps boots and a torch
  6. Do you know his name
  7. Where are we going
  8. Did they enjoy the film
  9. May I come in
  10. Don’t tell your brother

Unit 6 – Exercise 24

Discourse function of intonation. Production. After you hear the number, pronounce the following utterances with appropriate (default) intonation (no punctuation is given). Then listen and repeat carefully.

  1. I’ll give you a new one
  2. Are we visiting grandma on Sunday
  3. Put the books there
  4. How old is your teacher do you know
  5. Good Lord how old
  6. Doesn’t your mum know you’re here
  7. Don’t tell me that
  8. You can sing really high
  9. It’s amazing
  10. Isn’t it amazing

Unit 6 – Exercise 25

Discourse function of intonation. Identification. Listen to the following utterances and identify whether they are statements, commands or questions (no punctuation is given).

  1. Got the keys
  2. Wait a minute
  3. Don’t know the answer
  4. Doesn’t he like it
  5. Put the light out
  6. Can’t think why
  7. She went to bed late
  8. Tell me the truth
  9. Must be true
  10. Doesn’t care
  11. What a lovely day
  12. In the train
  13. Will you keep quiet
  14. Bring it tomorrow
  15. John’s coming tomorrow

  1. / Got the keys
  2. \/ Wait a minute
  3. / Don’t know the answer
  4. \ Doesn’t he like it
  5. / Put the light out
  6. \/ Can’t think why
  7. / She went to bed late
  8. \ Tell me the truth
  9. / Must be true
  10. \ Doesn’t care
  11. \ What a lovely day
  12. \/ In the train
  13. / Will you keep quiet
  14. \/ Bring it tomorrow
  15. / John’s coming tomorrow

Unit 6 – Exercise 26

Tag-questions. Pronounce the tag-questions following, according to the information indicated. Then, listen and repeat.

  1. John’s coming to the party, \ isn’t he? (confirmation)
  2. They’re staying at home, \ aren’t they? (confirmation)
  3. My aunt hasn’t been out recently, \ has she? (confirmation)
  4. The money won’t be found, \ will it? (confirmation)
  5. She can’t change it now, / can she? (true question)
  6. Be quiet, / will you? (softening)
  7. Be quiet, / won’t you? (insistent)
  8. A: Mary’s taking her driving test. B: / is she? (inviting; surprise)
  9. A: Mary’s taking her driving test. B: /\ is she? (lack of interest)
  10. A: Mary’s taking her driving test. B: is she? / (expressing doubt)