1. Falling Intonation: The pitch of the voice goes down at the end of the utterance. This is the most common pattern in English and often used in statements, commands, and questions that can be answered with a "yes" or "no."
* Example: "I'm going to the store."
2. Rising Intonation: The pitch of the voice goes up at the end of the utterance. This is often used in questions, especially those seeking clarification or confirmation.
* Example: "Are you going to the store?"
3. Level Intonation: The pitch of the voice stays relatively level throughout the utterance. This is often used to express neutrality, boredom, or even sarcasm.
* Example: "I'm so tired." (said in a flat, monotone voice)
Beyond these three, there are many other variations:
* Falling-Rising Intonation: The pitch falls and then rises, often used to express surprise, disbelief, or a sense of irony.
* Rising-Falling Intonation: The pitch rises and then falls, often used to express a question with a hint of accusation or doubt.
* Complex Intonation: More complex patterns combine different elements like rises, falls, and levels to convey various shades of meaning.
Intonation is a very complex aspect of language, and there are many factors that influence how we use it.