英语中的升调用来表示不肯定、语意未完,或表示礼貌,常有含蓄、委婉、安慰、虚心征求意见等意味。在以下 5 中情况下,一般用升调:
- 一般疑问句通常用升调。这其实表达了提问者的不肯定。例如:
- Are you from ↗China?
- Is this toy made in ↗China?
- Are you ↗sure?
- May I help ↗you?
- 数数和列举事物或一连串的动作时,最后那个并列成分使用降调,前面所有的并列成分都使用升调。这里,使用升调其实是传达这么个意思:我还没讲完,让我接着讲下去。例如:
- - Can you count those ↗cups? - OK. ↗One, ↗two, ↗three, ↗four, ↗five, ↗six, ↗seven, ↘eight. We have totally ↘eight cups.
- I have four close friends, ↗Bill, ↗Tom, ↗Rose and ↘Mike.
- Our students are from 5 different cities, including ↗Beijing, ↗Wuhan, ↗Shenzhen, ↗Kunming, and ↘Changsha.
- 选择疑问句的语调分两个部分,or 前面的部分用升调,or 后面的部分用降调。其实在这种情况下,前面的部分还是通过升调了告知听者“我还没讲完呢,让我接着讲”。例如:
- Do you want a ↗car or a ↘bike?
- Are you from ↗China or ↘Japan?
- Who should be responsible for this job? ↗Mike or ↘Tom?
- 反义疑问句的语调分两种情况。
- 说话者对所陈述的内容没有把握,想征询听者的意见,那么陈述句部分用降调,简略问句部分用升调。也就是说不肯定的时候用升调。例如:
- - You have a sports ↘car, ↗right? - ↘Yes, I ↘have.
- - He is a smart ↘boy, ↗isn’t he? - ↘No, he is not ↘smart.
- - You finished his ↘homework, ↗didn’t you? - ↘No, I ↘didn't
- 说话者对所陈述的内容很有把握,只是想对方同意自己的观点,或者想从对方那里得到证实,那么陈述句部分用降调,简略问句部分也用降调。也就是说肯定的时候用降调。例如:
- - He is a smart ↘boy, ↘isn’t he? - Yes, He ↘is.
- - You finished your ↘homework, ↘didn’t you? - ↘Yes, I ↘did.
- 说话者对所陈述的内容没有把握,想征询听者的意见,那么陈述句部分用降调,简略问句部分用升调。也就是说不肯定的时候用升调。例如:
- 含有状语从句的复合句的语调也分两种情况:
- 主句在前,从句在后,那么主句结束时意思已经比较完整,通常主句用降调,从句也用降调。例如:
- He was ↘crying when his mother came ↘back.
- We will go to Guangzhou this ↘weekend if we needn’t work ↘overtime.
- Just go ↘ahead if you think your are ↘right.
- 从句在前,主句在后,那么从句结束时意思其实不完整,通常从句用升调,主句用降调。例如:
- When his mother came ↗back, the boy was ↘crying.
- If I can borrow some ↗money, I will buy a cellphone ↘tomorrow.
- When you see Tom ↗tomorrow, please ask him to give me a ↘call.
- 主句在前,从句在后,那么主句结束时意思已经比较完整,通常主句用降调,从句也用降调。例如: