request-wh-question

Request Wh-question

When you want to ask someone a favor or you want to insist that she does something for you, you can use a partial question. For example, Núria really wants her friends to have dinner at her place. They already told her that they couldn’t come and she asks, almost begging, why they don’t come.

Núria: Va... per què no veniu? (Come on…why don’t you come?)

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How does it sound? Listen and watch.

Listen again to the sentence you have just heard. Listen to the melody of the sentence: the voice falls at the last stressed syllable of the sequence (-ni-) and then rises and falls again at the final syllable (-u).

Now listen to the sentence as many times as you want and pay attention to the graphic. Watch (and listen) how the voice falls at the last stressed syllable of the sequence (-ni-) and then rises and falls again at the final syllable (-u).
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Listen and watch more examples.

Now imagine that Núria and Marina are good friends. Núria asked Marina many times if she could show her her collection of ancient stamps. Marina always uses an excuses and Nuría, almost begging, asks her why she doesn’t show her the collection. Listen and look at the example.

Now imagine that Núria has asked some friends many times to come and see her new house. They have always refused. Núria, almost begging, asks them why they don’t come to see it.
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Practice.

Now you'll have to produce another sentence using the same intonation. Imagine you're talking with your brother. You have asked him many times to return a book to you, but he has not done so. Ask him whether he can return it to you. After saying this, listen to how it is pronounced.

Now imagine you are walking down the street and someone grabs you from by the shirt twice and when you turn around you see no one. Finally, when this happens a third time you notice behind you someone you know that always likes to tease you. Annoyed, you demand, "What do you want?" After saying this, listen to how it is pronounced..
Now imagine you are talking to your friends on the street. A rude neighbor comes along, immediately barges into the conversation and interrupts what you're saying. Angrily, you say, "Why don't you shut up?". After saying this, listen to how it is pronounced.
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Train yourself.

Now pronounce a sentence with the same requesting intonation. Imagine that you are speaking with a friend. You really want this friend to come with you to the cinema. You asked her many times before. Thus, almost begging, you ask once again “Va... Per què no vens...?” (Come on…Why don’t you come?). After practicing, listen to how it is pronounced.

Now, imagine that you are speaking with your brother. You have been asking him for some time to do something but he always said no. Thus, half begging, you ask him “Va... per què no m’ajudes...?” (Come on… Why don’t you help me?). After practicing, listen to how it is pronounced.
Now, imagine that you are speaking with your best friend. You have been asking her for some times to come to visit you in your town. She accepted, but she hasn’t come yet. Thus, almost begging, you ask her “Va... Quan vindràs...?” (Please… When will you come?). After practicing, listen to how it is pronounced.
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Appropriate or not?

Listen to these sentences and decide if their intonation is appropriate for the context.

magine that you would like a friend to help you choose a present for someone. You already ask her many times, but she always refused. Almost begging, you ask her why she doesn’t help you.
Appropriate
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Inappropriate
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Imagine that you are speaking with your friend, Marc, You would like to ask him a favor: you need to lend his bicycle and ask him politely why he doesn’t lend it to you
Appropriate
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Inappropriate
1