Question

Which intonation pattern is used in tag questions that imply the speaker is certain about what is said?

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

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Falling

In tag questions where the speaker is certain about what they are saying and is simply seeking confirmation, the falling intonation (↘) is used.

• When the speaker expects agreement or is confident in their statement, the intonation falls at the end of the tag question.

• This makes it sound more like a statement than a real question.

🔹 Examples (falling intonation ↘):
✔ "You're coming to the meeting, aren't you?" (↘)
✔ "She’s your sister, isn’t she?" (↘)

However, if the speaker is genuinely unsure and is asking for confirmation, a rising intonation (↗) is used instead.