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words. An intonation group has the following characteristics: 1. It
has at least one accented (stressed) word carrying a marked

change in pitch (a rise, a fall, ets). 2. It is pronounced at a certain
rate and without any pause within it.

The pitch-and-stress pattern or the intonation pattern of the
intonation group consists of the following elements:

1. the pre-head – unstressed or partially stressed syllables

which precede the first full stressed syllable;
2. the head (scale, body) – the intonation pattern extending

from the first stressed syllable up to (but not including) the nuclear

syllable;
3. the nucleus – the syllable bearing the nuclear (terminal)

tone;
4. the tail – unstressed or partially stressed syllables

following the nucleus.
He told me he would think of it.

pre-head head nucleus tail

There are different types of pre-heads, heads and tails.

14.2 Types of heads

Head patterns are classified into three groups: descending,

ascending and level according to the way it begins from the point

of view of pitch movement.
Descending heads move down from a medium or a high

pitch level to the low one. The first stressed syllable is the highest.

In the stepping head the stressed syllables gradually
descend in pitch levels, unstressed or partially stressed syllables

are pronounced on the same level as the preceding stressed ones.
This head conveys the impression of the balanced, active,

“normal” mood of the speaker.
I don’t want to go to the cinema.

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