[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/intonation/)

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# intonation

noun (intonation, intonations)

«intonation» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The rise and fall of your voice when you speak, which can change the meaning: a question often goes up at the end. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#m1)
2. (music) Singing or playing exactly in tune. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#m2)

### In the lessons

In English and language lessons (reading aloud with expression, questions, sarcasm), French and Mandarin lessons, and music. Phrases: rising intonation, falling intonation, good intonation.

### Examples

- Use rising intonation when you ask a yes-no question. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x1)
- Her intonation showed she was joking. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x2)
- Reading aloud with good intonation makes a story come alive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x3)
- The violinist worked on her intonation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x4)
- In some Australian and New Zealand speech, statements end with a rising intonation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x5)
- Intonation can turn Really. into Really? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x6)
- No explanation could convey an adequate idea of the intonation and pronunciation which Uncle Remus brought to bear upon this wonderful word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/#x7)

### Note

Not the same as tone in Mandarin: tones change the meaning of single words; intonation is the tune of a whole sentence. Uncountable usually.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «intonation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/intonation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«intonation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/intonation.html) on Mova free.