Why Stress and Intonation Matter More Than You Think

Cami
Sep 10
5 min read

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it

Hey there!

Welcome, or welcome back! Before we get into today’s topic, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this email. You should actually be proud of yourself for dedicating a few minutes of your day to your English learning (and even for signing up to an English learning newsletter! Wow!). I, at least, am proud of you. Really!

(By the way, I’m stressing the first syllable: REEE-lly, not just a quick “really.” It’s the kind of stress that shows strong emotion like sincerity, reassurance, or even surprise. Oops, I might have given away today’s topic…)

Now, how often have you heard that it’s not important what you say, but how you say it? If you’ve been reading our past emails, you should say at least 10 times… Sorry about that…

But it’s true! Intonation and stress are often overlooked, but are actually hugely important.

Advanced learners oftentimes focus mainly on vocabulary and grammar, but don’t put enough attention on intonation and stress, which are just as important for natural communication. Do you remember the email we sent you last month about using humour in English? Or the one about sounding more polite? Or the one about using English in business settings? Well, stress and intonation played a big role in all of them. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t fret (that means don’t worry 😉)!

When you speak any language, you want to avoid sounding robotic or flat, and that’s when stress and intonation come into play. They signal emotion, attitude, and intention, which helps your listeners understand whether you are being serious, surprised, annoyed, or if you’re simply joking. Pretty important if you ask me…

Mastering them makes your conversations flow more smoothly and helps you, as a learner, sound more confident and easy to follow. BUT (yes, there is a big but), this is not about faking a British or American accent, but rather about sounding clear and natural (and also expressive).

Mastering Intonation: The Key to Natural English

What is intonation and stress?

First things first, let’s get the most important thing out of the way. What even is intonation and stress?

Intonation = the rise and fall of tone in your voice

Falling intonation often signals certainty or finality: That’s it ⤵

Rising intonation often signals a question: You’re coming tonight? ⤴

Stress = emphasis of certain words or syllables

E.g. Compare how the meaning of this sentence changes when each word is stressed differently: I didn’t say she stole the money

Someone else said it, not me

I never said it at all (I’m denying that the statement was ever made)

I didn’t say it out loud (maybe I implied it, hinted at it, or suggested it)

I said someone else stole it, not her

She might have borrowed it or found it, but didn’t steal it

She stole money, but not the specific money we're talking about

She stole something, but not money

Crazy, right?

Why intonation matters (beyond sounding polite or interested)

Did you notice how the meaning changes when you stress certain words? Well, the same thing happens with intonation. The meaning of your sentence can change completely if your voice goes up or down at the end, even though you’re using the same words. Look at this example: You’re here

1. You’re here. low ↘ intonation

- Intonation: Falling at the end (tone goes down on ‘here’)

- This would be considered a neutral or confirming statement without strong emotion

2. You’re here? mid ↗ intonation

- Intonation: Rising at the end (tone goes up on ‘here’)

- When said like this, it conveys a surprise, uncertain or even confirmation question tone

3. You’re here! high ↗↘ or high ↗ intonation

- Intonation: Rise-fall or high and energetic (tone rises and then often falls, or stays high and excited)

- This shows a lot of emotion (e.g. happiness or excitement)

As you can see, intonation also helps with showing emotion and attitude. Whether you are confused, surprised, bored, excited, etc., it is often conveyed through your intonation.

Think of the word ‘thanks’. If you say it with a flat tone (Thanks.), it could come across as a bit cold or uninterested. But, if it’s said with a warm tone (high & energetic) as in ‘Thanks!’, it sounds genuine and friendly. You can even notice the difference in writing, I mean, which one do you think looks “friendlier”?

Thanks.
Thanks!

Last but not least, intonation can also support communication efficiency. It allows you to communicate multiple nuances, without changing the words. It’s a good tool to avoid misunderstandings.

However, be aware of these common mistakes that many advanced makers tend to make!

Keeping the same flat intonation throughout their whole sentences (also described as monotone)
Stressing the ‘wrong’ word can make you sound unclear or odd (e.g. I want to eat now, sounds very different from saying I want to eat now)

Practical ways to practice

As always, it’s important to practise to really master a language. Here are our tips:

Copy emotional delivery: Watch a short clip of n actor and try to mimic not just the words, but how they say them.
Record yourself saying the same sentence in 3 different ways. For example, say ‘I can’t believe it’ in an excited, bored and sarcastic way.
Take a simple sentence and move the stress. For example, ‘She didn’t take your book’ vs ‘She didn’t take your book’
Use music to practice stress. Try reading lyrics out loud as if you were performing them, as the rhythm helps build natural stress patterns.

And here is a quick and easy ‘lazy hack’: Even just exaggerating the intonation while reading text messages (from WhatsApp or emails, for example) in your head helps train your brain to get used to the different stress and intonation.

Now, here is a little ‘homework’ for you. Choose a short 10-15 second video (e.g. a video from @englishlifewithbenjamin 😉) and play it once, just listening. Then play it again and repeat it with the same intonation and stress. Record yourself doing so and compare it to the original. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

You’ll never stop learning English, no matter how advanced your level is, and there is nothing bad about it! It’s actually good, especially for your brain. So, try to experiment when practising different things and don’t be afraid of exaggerating while practising. Your English will thank you 😉

I also want to remind you that mastering intonation and stress is not about sounding native or faking an accent, but about making your English sound more natural and easier to understand. Next time you speak English, I want you to ask yourself: Am I using my words, or am I using my voice too?

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