Up or Down? Give Your Questions the Right Melody

French yes/no questions often rise smoothly and evenly across the whole sentence. American English yes/no questions rise too, but the climb is concentrated right at the end, on the last stressed syllable, almost like a last-second lift rather than a steady climb. Meanwhile, information questions starting with who, what, where, or why typically do the opposite — they fall at the end, similar to a statement. Compare 'Are you free tonight?' (rises sharply at the very end) with 'What time is it?' (falls at the end, even though it's a question). Try saying both sentences out loud, placing your hand flat and lifting it only at the last word for the yes/no question, then lowering it for the wh-question. For today's two-minute practice, write down three yes/no questions and three wh-questions from a recent conversation, then record yourself saying each pair, checking that your pitch moves in the right direction at the very end. Getting this melody right makes your questions sound instantly more natural.