Hello. Can someone give me an "easy" way to explain TAG QUESTION INTONATION to my students? I told them that if you think that the person you are talking to knows your question, then the intonation goes UP, but if you think that the person you are talking doesn't know your question, or might be surprised, then the intonation goes DOWN. Is that correct? My students are having a really hard time with understanding the intonation for tag questions.

Thanks.

Hello, KNDU!

In reality, if the speaker doesn't know whether the listener will answer yes or no to his tag question, the intonation goes up.

If the speaker thinks he knows how the listener will answer his tag question, the intonation goes down.

Listen to the following sound bytes. The first one shows the speaker doesn't know what the answer will be. The second shows that the speaker thinks he knows what the listener will say.

Tag_Questions.wav (754 KB, 11 downloads)

Richard posted while I was typing, but I decided to post anyway (even though it doesn't actually add any new information now). ;-)

Rising Intonation
When there is rising intonation at the end of a tag, then the person is actually asking a question that he or she would like you to answer. The speaker might not be completely sure that the statement he or she has just made is accurate, and thus the person is asking you for confirmation. For example:

- He has already been married twice, hasn't he? = I think he has already been married twice, but I'm not sure about that. Can you confirm this information?

Rising intonation invites/asks for confirmation.

Falling Intonation
When the intonation falls, you feel sure that the listener agrees with your statement:

- That was a really stupid thing to do, wasn't it? = I think it is obvious that that was a really stupid thing to do. I do not need any confirmation because I feel sure that you agree.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: *Amy*,

Hi Richard and Amy,

Thanks for your information. Actually, I just noticed that I had the TAG INTONATIONS backwards! Oops! I agree with what you said; I just wrote it incorrectly.

Thanks again. I'll share your information with my students.

Thanks.

Jodie

Dear Richard,

Please check the recording. Is it OK on your side?

It plays fine for me, Izzy. On my computer it opens with Windows Media Player.

Sorry if you can't listen to it.