Tools for Clear Speech

When requesting for clarification of what someone else has said, there is typically a rising pitch at the end of the phrase. It will sound like a yes/no question as opposed to a typical wh-question asking for new information.

Listen to the following example, and note how the response to the question does not introduce new information:

Jun: I need to pick up her apartment key today.
Arwa: When?
Jun: Today.

The rising pitch is a signal that Arwa wants the same information to be repeated. A reason for the request may be because Arwa didn’t hear what Jun said, or she doesn’t believe what Jun said. If Arwa uses the falling pitch of typical wh-questions, notice that Jun’s response changes because he understands it’s a request for new information:

Jun: I need to pick up her apartment key today.
Arwa: When?
Jun: 3 pm.

Practice 1

Look at the following dialogues and decide whether the question should have rising or falling pitch:

1. Joo Yi: I need to tell you something.
Haru: What?
Joo Yi: I need to tell you something.
RisingFalling

2. Sayori: One of my teachers emailed me about my homework.
Yidong: Who?
Sayori: Professor Williams.
RisingFalling

3. Guillermo: I placed the order for next week.
Josephine: When?
Guillermo: Next Wednesday.
RisingFalling

4. George: I can’t seem to find my phone. I thought I left it in the classroom.
Grace: Where?
George: The classroom.
RisingFalling

5. Sayori: I can’t access my savings account.
Josué: Which account?
Sayori: My savings account.
RisingFalling

Clear all answers

Practice 2

Read each conversation, and decide whether you think the “wh” question should have rising or falling intonation. Then, listen to both versions of the “wh” question, and select the one you think is correct. To practice, ask the wh-question once again using the correct intonation.

Remember: rising intonation on a “wh” question is a request for clarification, whereas falling intonation on a “wh” question is a request for additional information.

Example:
Meg: I got tickets to a Broadway show next week.
Leidy: Rising intonation: When?
Leidy: Falling intonation: When?
Meg: Tuesday
The correct choice is “B” because the speaker asked for more information, and got the response “Tuesday.”

Clear all answers

What do you do now?

First, brainstorm common situations and questions where clarification would be needed (e.g., asking “What was that?” while listening to someone on the phone). Write down these questions, and practice reading them aloud with rising pitch.

Second, come see a speech consultant to practice your questions, and together you can create a longer list of realistic clarification questions. The speech consultant can help monitor the naturalness and accuracy of your pitch range. Together, you can do more practice with dialogues that include clarification questions, such as from the exercise above.