Parentheses

A parenthesis is a word, phrase or clause which is connected with the rest of the sentences I order;

- to show the speaker’s attitude towards the idea expressed;

- to connect the sentence with another one

- to summarize or add some detail to what is said in the sentence.

At the beginning of a sentence a parenthesis is stressed and may form a separate sense-group if it is semantically important. This sense-group may be pronounced either with the Rise or with the Fall, or with the Fall-Rise.

e.g. To crown it all, we had a fantastic ball in the evening.

By the way, what time is it?

In the middle or at the end of the sentence parentheses are not stressed and do not form separate sense-groups. They are pronounced as the unstressed or partially stressed syllables of the intonation group

.

e.g. He’s quite am bitious, you know.

You know of course how am bitious he is.

Practice:

1. Besides, I’m often mixed up with my twin brother.

2. To put it mildly, he isn’t quite sane.

3. Simon isn’t particularly keen on Italian food, I suppose.

4. The house wasn’t in fact all that big.

5. Now that I know him well enough of course, I find him very pleasant.

6. In my opinion, he deserved what he got.

7. Fortunately for me, it was a translated version.

8. He’s stubborn, as far as I know.

9. You are right, though.

10. You never ask yourself, I suppose, whether I mater at all.

AUTHOR’S WORDS

The author’s words may introduce, interrupt or follow direct speech.

The author’ words introducing direct speech form a separate sense-group normally pronounced with the falling tone.

e.g. And then he said, “ Perhaps, you are right.”

If the author’s words follow direct speech, they continue the melody of the sense-group as its unstressed or partially stressed tail.

e.g. “ What is it for?” he asked.

If the author’s words form a fairly long sequence, they may form a separate sense-group which is usually pronounced with the same intonation as the preceding sense-group but at a lower pitch.

e.g. “Do you think it’s fair?” she asked, looking at me with surprise.

Practice:

1. “I can’t believe you ate the whole watermelon,” she said.

2. My father began by saying, “I refuse to listen to any excuses.”

3. “You are the last person on earth I’d ask for help,” she told me with contempt.

4. “What rubbish!” he exclaimed leaving the room.

5. “Mel Gibson is one of my best customers,” the street vender bragged.

6. “He wants the money,” Charles said after a dramatic pause, “and he wants it now.”

7. “I can’t eat anything,” he growled, putting his head in his hands.

8. “Miss Bloom,” I said breathlessly, “we must go back now.”

9. Her cousin shrugged and said curtly, “I don’t care a bit.”

10. “Are you glad to see me, Bobby?” asked Aunt Ellie.