Unit 3: An Effective Speaking Voice: 3.0 Intended Learning Outcomes
Unit 3: An Effective Speaking Voice: 3.0 Intended Learning Outcomes
3. Take a deep breath. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth.
4. Stretch your lips, articulate and warm up on vowel sounds.
5. Kick your feet and touch your toes , wiggle your arms, move your hands like an octo
pus , gyrate to relax your body.
6. Observe correct posture.
POSTURE
Also considered important for voice production is posture. Bad tightens posture in the
first place, is an uncomfortable sight to listeners. In the second place, it interferes with voice place-
ment Like tension, it inhibits proper breath control. This happens when you make your spine in
the center and trust your neck forward to keep your balance. This tightens the muscles of your
throat. Your posture should therefore, be free from all peculiarities or mannerisms like putting the
head to one side, swinging the arms, twisting the fingers or jiggling the legs. These affects your
voice.
Good posture is the arrangement of the bones and muscles which puts the body in per-
fect alignment so that various parts of the body fall naturally in place. This is manifested primarily
by an alert, comfortable, and erect but relaxed carriage. It is not slouchy or stiff.
1.If maintained, good posture gives five advantages. They are as follows:
2.It suggests health.
3.It makes you look great.
4.It conditions a pleasing voice.
5.It is one of the finest exercises you can do.
6.It eases fatigue and tension.
THE RIGHT WAY TO STAND
1. Stand up straight and tall.
2. Keep your shoulders back.
3. Pull your stomach in.
4. Put your weight mostly on the balls of your feet.
5. Keep your head level.
6. Let your arms hang down naturally at your sides. Image 1.
7. Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
In summary, here are some pointers that will help make your voice an asset:
1. Relax. Only with total freedom fro tension can your voice be be full and pleasing.
2. Develop good breathing habit.
3. Watch your posture.
4. Train your ears.
5. Use enough volume to be effective.
6. Develop resonance in your voice.
7. Work for pleasant quality.
8. Don’t talk through your nose.
9. Keep your speaking voice pleasingly low.
10. Don’t speak in deadly monotone.
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Let’s check!
In an essay form, answer the following questions concisely. Please provide a paper as your Answer
Sheet to the Unit 3 Assessment.
RUBRICS
1. With the topics, activities and discussions in this lesson, how do you differentiate now “voice” from
“speech”?
2. Now, try analyzing your own voice and speech. What distinctive qualities make the way speak unique
to you?
3. They say that “improving your speech lies largely within your own power”. Do you agree? What does
this imply?
4. With the tips, and suggestions in improving your speaking voice, assess and identify which area you
need to focus on. Create a plan in a tabular form and indicate a timeline as to which area needs improve-
ment for you to have an effective speaking voice.
3.3 References
Dela Cruz, Edna. (2009) Advanced Speech Communication. Manila, Q.C. Rex
Bookstore. (Module: Unit 3) *This is the most recent edition of the book with the
same title and author
Diaz, Rafael H. (2008) Speech and Oral Communication. Mandaluyong City. National Bookstore
(Module: Units 3-4) *This is the most recent edition of the book with the same title and au
thor
Pangilinan, Estelita C. and Dilig, Myrna J. (2005) Speech and Drama. Metro Manila. Na
tional Bookstore. (Module: Units 1-7) *This is the most recent edition of the book with
the same title and author
MedLine Plus. (February 10, 2020) Guide To Good Posture. https://medlineplus.gov/ g u i d e t o
goodposture.html
3.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were
taken from the references cited above.
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Exceptions: Unfortunately, there are exceptions to this rule. It could be that a word was borrowed
from another language or it could be totally random. You just have to learn these “outsiders” by
heart. Here are three words you can start with:
hotel /ho-TEL/ extreme /ex-TREME/ concise /con-CISE/
2. Verbs and prepositions with two syllables
The rule: When a verb (a word referring to an action, event or state of being) or a preposition (a
word that comes before a noun, pronoun or the “-ing” form of a verb, and shows its relation to
another word or part of the sentence) has two syllables, the stress is usually on the second sylla-
ble.
Examles: present /pre-SENT/ export /ex-PORT/
aside /a-SIDE/ between /be-TWEEN/
3. Words that are both a noun and a verb
The rule: Some words in English can be both a noun and a verb. In those cases, the noun has its
word stress on the first syllable, and with the verb, the stress falls on the second syllable.
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll see that this rule is a derivation from the prior two sections
and notice some of the same words. However, this is a separate section since those pairs of words
are relatively common in English and they’re likely to cause misunderstanding due to the same
spelling.
Ex: present /PRE-sent/ (a gift) vs. present /pre-SENT/ (give something formally)
export /EX-port/ (the practice or business of selling goods to another country or an article that is
exported) vs. export /ex-PORT/ (to sell goods to another country)
suspect /SU-spect/ (someone who the police believe may have committed a crime) vs suspect /su-
SPECT/ (to believe that something is true, especially something bad)
There are, however, exceptions to this rule. For example, the word “respect” has a stress on the
second syllable both when it’s a verb and a noun.
4. Three syllable words ending in “er” and “ly”
The rule: Words that have three syllables and end in “-er” or “-ly” often have a stress on the first
syllable.
Examples: orderly /OR-der-ly/ quietly /QUI-et-ly/ manager /MA-na-ger/
5. Words ending in “ic,” “sion” and “tion”
The rule: When a word ends in “ic,” “sion” or “tion,” the stress is usually on the second-to-last syl-
lable. You count syllables backwards and put a stress on the second one from the end.
Examples: creation /cre-A-tion/ commission /com-MI-ssion/
photographic /pho-to-GRA-phic/
6. Words ending in “cy,” “ty,” “phy,” “gy” and “al”
The rule: When a word ends in “cy,” “ty,” “phy,” “gy” and “al,” the stress is often on the third to
last syllable. Similarly, you count syllables backwards and put a stress on the third one from the
end.
Examples: democracy /de-MO-cra-cy/ photography /pho-TO-gra-phy/
logical /LO-gi-cal/ commodity /com-MO-di-ty/
psychology /psy-CHO-lo-gy/
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7. Compound nouns
The rule: In most compound nouns (a noun made up of two or more existing words), the word
stress is on the first noun.
Examples: football /FOOT-ball/ keyboard /KEY-board/
8. Compound adjectives and verbs
The rule: In most compound adjectives (a single adjective made of more than one word and of-
ten linked with a hyphen) and compound verbs (a multi-word verb that functions as a single
verb), the stress is on the second word.
Examples: old-fashioned /old-FA-shioned/ understand /un-der–STAND/
As English language learners, mastering word stress is never easy because it follows
rules and there are exceptions. We learn words of our target language in second language ac-
quisition, but as second language learners it is also important that we know how to establish
common understanding between you as speaker and your listener or vise versa. These eight
rules may serve as a guide or reference. One an make it as a habit to practice to pronounce
with word stress or by looking into the dictionary.
Now, your turn!
(This will be graded for Class Participation. Write on a one whole sheet of yellow or bond paper
to be submitted together with Unit Assessment answers)
Pronounce these words again, this time as a noun and a verb. Then use it in a sentence.
decrease increase refuse
present object desert
reject record address
contract conflict project
4.2.2 Intonation, The Music of Language
According to Diaz (2008), pitch is the musical tone with which we pronounce the
stressed syllable. It is an element of stress. The combination of these musical tones with which
we pronounce the utterance or sentence results in a tune or melody of speech. The technical
term for this tune is intonation.
The way our voice goes up and down at the end of the sentence constitutes a meaning
signal. When our voice goes up and then down at the end of the sentence, we signal state-
ments of fact, command , or special questions not answerable by yes or no. When our voice
goes up at the end of a sentence, we signal questions answerable by yes or no. The first way is
called rising-falling intonations: the second, rising intonation.
Rising-Falling Intonation
The intonation is rising-falling when the tone moves from pitch 2 (normal) to pitch 3
(high) on the stressed syllable, and then moves to pitch 1 (low). These number of pitch are tak-
en from the basic tones of English. These are:
1—low 2—normal 3—high 4—extra high
Tones 1,2 and 3 are most commonly used ones.
Tone 4 is used in expressing strong feeling and emotion.
The final rising-falling intonation is of two types
1. The drop or shift.
Ex. Good morning. Good evening
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The voice rises on the stressed syllable and falls on the unstressed syllable. The
drop is used when the stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable.
2. The slide or inflection.
The voice rises on the stressed syllable and goes down gradually on the same
syllable. It is when the stressed syllable is the final or last syllable in the sentence that
the slide is used.
Rising Intonation
The intonation is rising when the tone moves from pitch 2 (normal) to pitch 3
(high).
Is he in school? Do you act? Do you agree?
Rising Intonation
Are you alone?
May I help you?
Will you join us?
Is it okay?
Is Catbalogan the capital of Samar?
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The voice rises on the stresses content word or specially stressed function word
(demonstrative or interrogative ) to call attention to a particular idea other than the word at
the end of the sentence.
Note that the first unit ends with a rising-falling intonation, This is usually done be-
fore a long pause which marked by a colon or semi-colon. The second unit follows the rule of
final intonation.
The rising pattern emphasized the conditional note in the first unit and creates a feel-
ing of suspense . This pattern is usually observed before a short pause marked by a comma.
In general, however, it appears that most speakers tends to end the first unit with a rise in
pitch , then a return to normal (2-3-2). This would serve to show that what follows is con-
nected with what was just said.
The above example gives a series with and. Here, the rising intonation is used on all members
in the series except the last.
7. Will you take up a summer job or will you go home for the summer vacation?
Note the rising intonation used at the end of the first alternative.
Hello, guys!
Note how the reiterative formula, this time, is said with a rising-falling intonation to
show that the utterance is not a question but a statement of fact that does not require a
yes—no answer.
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Conversation Drill
Observe non-final intonation in the following in the following activity. Do not confuse into-
nation patterns for a special questions with those answerable by yes or no.
Cyril: I have to go to school now, but I can’t find my cell phone. Have you seen it?
Marianne: No, I haven't. Whn and where did you use it last?
Cyril: I don’t know, but I’m sure I brought it home. Let me see. I was doing my assignment in
my room when Mom called me to the kitchen.
Marianne: It’s not here. Where did you go next?
Cyril: To the library. But is is not there either.
Marianne: Where did you go after?
Cyril: I went to the dining room. I took some snacks.
Marianne: We’ll let’s go look. And there is your cellular phone right the table.
Cyril: Well, how do you like that? Thank you, Marianne. Hmm. How do you suppose it got
there?
Marianne: I don’t know, but I can make a guess.
Cyril: Oh well. Maybe absent-mindedness is a good sign. After all , I’m another year older.
Marianne: That sounds reasonable. All set? Goodbye, brother .
Cyril: Hmm. Goodbye, sister. See you this evening.
Guide Questions:
1. What is the different between final ad non-final intonation?
2. What two intonation patterns can be used for tag endings? When is each type best used?
2.3 References
Pangilinan, Estelita C. and Dilig, Myrna J. (2005) Speech and Drama. Metro Manila. National Bookstore.
(Module: Units 1-7) *This is the most recent edition of the book with the same title and author.
Dela Cruz, Edna. (2009) Advanced Speech Communication. Manila, Q.C. Rex Bookstore. (Module: Unit
2) *This is the most recent edition of the book with the same title and author.
Nguyen, Q. (2020, September). 8 English Word Stress Rules to Promote Clear Communication. FluentU
English Language and Culture Blogs. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-word-stress/
2.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were
taken from the references cited above.
Let’s check!
In an essay form, answer the following questions concisely. Please provide a paper as your Answer
Sheet to the Unit 4 Assessment.
UNIT 4 Assessment (In answering the questions, please refer to the rubrics provided in Assessment 3)
1. Go back to the guide questions in pages 15 and 18. Then consolidate your learnings based on the an
swers you have on the said questions. You may expound and share new learnings you have in this lesson.
(15 points)
2. Please expound the statement below. Support your answer with examples (15 points)
“When we pronounce stressed and unstressed syllables in words, we hear the rhythm of English, and
when our voice rise and fall in a sentence, we hear the music of language.”