Question

In English, which intonation pattern is commonly used in WH-questions (e.g., "What is your name?")?

• A. Fall-rise
• B. Rising
• C. Falling
• D. Rising-falling

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Falling

In English, WH-questions (e.g., "What is your name?") typically use falling intonation (↘).

The pitch starts higher and falls towards the end of the question.

• This pattern indicates that the speaker is asking for information in a neutral or definite manner.

🔹 Examples:
✔ "Where do you live?" (↘ falling intonation)
✔ "How are you feeling?" (↘ falling intonation)

However, in certain contexts (e.g., when showing surprise or asking for clarification), WH-questions can have rising intonation (↗), but this is less common.