PRONUNCIATION

INTONATION
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THOUGHT GROUPS
People. Do. Not. Speak. Word. By. Word. They speak in thought groups or phrases. For example:
"Hello. / This is 707- / 555- / 7575. / I can't answer the phone right now, / but please leave a brief message, / and I'll
return your call / as soon as I can."
Trong tiếng Anh, người ta thường nói theo cụm suy nghĩ (thought groups), và những cụm này
thường được phân cách với nhau bằng khoảng nghỉ ngắn (a brief pause)
Listen to the same sentence spoken in two different ways with different pauses. Track 1
A woman without her man / is lost.
A woman / without her / man is lost.
Exercise
Do you hear one thought group or two? Circle a for one or b for two. Track 2
1. a. 7-week-long vacations b. 7 / week-long vacations
2. a. 3-hour-long exams b. 3 / hour-long exams
3. a. 49-cent stamps b. 40 / 9-cent stamps
4. a. Please call me Ben. b. Please call me, / Ben.
5. a. Who's hiring Julia? b. Who's hiring, / Julia?

Các cụm thought groups thường là: Track 3

• Câu ngắn: I have to study. / Where did I put my book?
• Mệnh đề (clauses): If you speak in thought groups, / you'll be easier to understand.
• Cụm từ (phrases): Steve Jobs / dropped out of college / after six months.
• Cụm từ nối/chuyển câu: In fact, thought groups make you sound more fluent.
• Fillers: Well, I heard from Kate.
• Các cụm từ cố định: What I’m trying to say is, I lost my economics book.

Exercise
A. Circle the sentence, a or b, with the correct thought group divisions.
1. a. Last month / I went to San Francisco and walked / across the Golden Gate Bridge.
b. Last month / I went to San Francisco / and walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
2. a. As far as I know, / his favorite snack / is popcorn.
b. As far as / I know, his favorite / snack is popcorn.
3. a. John wants to be an airline pilot, / but he's color-blind.
b. John wants / to be an airline pilot, but he's / color-blind.
4. a. I just remembered / that I wanted to tell you about / my dream.
b. I just remembered / that I wanted to tell you / about my dream.
B. Listen and repeat only the correct sentences from part A. Track 4
SENTENCE STRESS
Content word và Function word
Khi nói, các từ có chức năng ngữ pháp (function words) thường được xem là không quan trọng nên
không được nhấn (faster and lower in volume and pitch).
➢ Liên từ: and, but, so, or, as, because, when, if…
➢ Giới từ: on, in, at, by, with, to…
➢ Mạo từ: a, an, the
➢ Đại từ: he, she, it, I, you, him, her…
➢ Trợ động từ: do, does, have, has…
➢ Động từ to be: am, is, are, was, were…

Các từ quan trọng là những từ chứa nội dung (content words). Những từ này thường được nhấn
mạnh hơn (louder, longer, higher).
➢ Verbs (động từ) ➢ Adjectives (tính từ)
➢ Nouns (danh từ) ➢ Adverbs (trạng từ)

Nghe và chọn những từ content words trong câu sau: Track 5

She was a huge fan of weekend breaks and usually tried to take a trip once a month.

Chọn những từ content words trong các câu sau. Nghe và kiểm tra. Track 6
1. He climbed the hill to get the best view of the city.
2. They walked six kilometres in the rain just to get to the party. When they arrived, they were soaked.
3. She married a sailor. He went to sea and she never saw him again.
4. All he cares about is money and power. He never remember his parents’ birthdays.
5. She went to the races six times a year. She liked to gamble.

Ngoại lệ (Exceptions):
1. Nhấn mạnh thông tin tương phản: các từ content words xung quanh không được nhấn. Track 7
- I have some bad news / and some good news.
1. I'm looking for a used car, / not a new one.
2. This isn't the twenty-fifth floor; / it's the twenty-sixth floor.
3. He found his debit card / but not his credit card.
4. That's my home number. / Let me give you my cell number.
2. Nhấn mạnh sự đồng ý với câu trước: nhấn trợ động từ. Track 8
- X: He should open a restaurant. He's such a good cook. - Y: He is a good cook.

1. Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. - I agree! It is the most beautiful city.
2. Everyone should have three-day weekends. - I agree! We should have three-day weekends.
3. Writing English is easier than speaking it. - I agree! It is easier.

3. Đính chính thông tin: nhấn mạnh thông tin đính chính. Track 9
- X: Lunch is at twelve thirty - Y: Actually, it's at one thirty.

1. a. What did you do last night? - I called my mother.

b. You should call your mother. - I called my mother.
2. a. You look relaxed. - I just got back from a long vacation.
b. You need a long vacation. - I just got back from a long vacation.
3. a. What happened? - I sprained my ankle.
b. Did you break your ankle? - I sprained my ankle.
INTONATION
Intonation hay ngữ điệu là sự lên xuống trong giọng nói (rise or fall). Thường mỗi cụm thought
group có một ngữ điệu riêng.
Listen to a partial conversation. Does the speaker's voice fall or rise at the end of each word? Track 10
Fall Rise Fall Rise
X: Tired.   X: Sick?  
Y: Sad   Y: Moving.  
X: Why?   X: Where?  
Y: Claudio.   Y: Canada.  
Listen to the full conversation. As you listen, trace the intonation contours with our finger. Track 11

Xuống giọng (falling intonation):

- Câu tường thuật.
Track 12 I lost my cell phone.

1. I lost my wallet.
2. They turned off the air conditioner. /ˈeə kəndɪʃənə(r)/
3. The parking lot is full.
4. He's not feeling any better.
5. I'd like to make an appointment with you. /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
6. We have access to the internet.
- Câu hỏi Wh- (what, why, where, when, who, how)
Track 13 X: What's your dog's name? - Y: Gristle.

Example: I’m from Canada. Where are you from?

1. So you're from Cuba. Where in Cuba?

2. From Havana? Interesting. And what's your name?

3. So you don’t live in Cuba now? Where do you live?

4. You're a student? What do you study?

5. So you won't finish this year? When will you finish?

- Thể hiện các cảm xúc: sự kết thúc của sự việc (finality), sự chắc chắn (certainty), chán nản
(boredom), than phiền (complaining), giận dữ (outrage), tán tỉnh (flirting). (xem thêm ở appendix)
Lên giọng (rising intonation):
- Câu hỏi Yes/No

Track 14 X: Have you read this book? - Y: Yes. A few years ago.

1. Do the buses run after ten o’clock?

2. Are we going to review today?
3. Is it supposed to rain?
4. Can you get to Denver by train?
5. Hello. Is Mark available?

- Thể hiện các cảm xúc: câu tường thuật nhưng thể hiện sự ngạc nhiên (surprise), thông cảm
(sympathy), nghi ngờ (doubt), thách thức (challenge), mở đầu câu chuyện (start a conversation).
(xem thêm ở appendix)

Kết hợp lên xuống giọng:

- Trong câu hỏi lựa chọn với “or”: lên giọng ở lựa chọn trước, xuống giọng ở lựa chọn sau
cùng.
Track 15 Do you want paper / or plastic?
1. Was the light yellow / or red?
2. Is the test today / or tomorrow?
3. Do you want brown rice / or white rice?
4. Is she laughing / or crying?
- Trong câu liệt kê nhiều sự vật: lên giọng ở tất cả các vật được liệt kê trừ cái cuối cùng thì
xuống giọng.
Track 16 I’d like a cup of coffee, the salmon, a baked potato, and a salad.

1. I like playing football, tennis, basketball and volleyball.

2. At college I’m taking psychology, French, history, and linguistics.
/ saɪˈkɑləʤi / /ˈhɪsˌtɔri / / lɪŋˈgwɪstɪks /
3. He left work, came home, took a shower, and went to bed.
4. I need rice, beans, lettuce, and sugar.
/ ˈlɛtɪs /
HOMEWORK

Nghe và đọc rồi thu âm đoạn hội thoại sau. Track 17