English intonation is often presented as a system, which has an important communicative function in any interaction between speaker and listener. Effective speaking, whether it takes place in a formal public setting or in a relaxed social context, involves more than pronunciation. In fact, incorrect intonation may seriously hamper communication at any levels. In this sense, intonation deserves more serious attention than it gets. It is on the basis of the awareness of its place in communication that the present article has come into being, aiming to make Chinese learners of English aware of the main features of intonation and provide systematic and enjoyable activities to help them perceive the system of intonation used by native speakers and ultimately incorporate the system into their own performance.
