Video Summary - Question Intonation - One Easy Tip to Remember!

Main Idea: Choose Intonation by the Kind of Answer

The video gives a simple rule for deciding whether a question’s intonation should rise or fall:

If the answer could be “yes” or “no,” raise your voice at the end. These questions often begin with can, do, are, is, or have. Examples: “Are you hungry?”, “Does he eat meat?”, and “Have you tried durian?”
For other questions, lower your voice at the end. Questions beginning with words such as what, when, where, how, and why usually ask for information rather than a yes-or-no answer. Examples: “Why doesn’t he eat meat?”, “When did you try durian?”, and “What’s your favorite pizza?”

Before asking a question, ask yourself: “What kind of answer am I expecting?”

If “yes” or “no” would answer it, use rising intonation.
If it needs an explanation or other information, use falling intonation.
Practise contrasting questions, such as “Do you like pizza?” (rising) and “What’s your favorite pizza?” (falling), to hear the difference.

The video ends with practice questions and encourages viewers to remember this rule when speaking English.

Presenter/narrator: A single English-language presenter from the mmmEnglish channel; the subtitles do not identify the presenter by name.
Other audio: Background music.