The last stressed syllable of the intonation pattern on which the pitch movement changes is called the nucleus. The nucleus is usually of the highest importance; it is on this syllable that the whole pitch pattern centres. There are eight nuclear tones in Modem English:
- The Low (Medium) Fall. The voice falls from the low (medium) pitch level to the bottom of the pitch.
- The High Fall. The voice falls all the way down from a high to the lowest note possible
- The Rise - Fall. The voice usually rises from a medium to a high pitch level and then quickly falls to a low pitch.
- The Low Rise. The voice rises from a very low to a medium pitch level or a little higher.
- The High (Medium) Rise. The voice rises from a medium or high pitch level and moves up to the top of the voice
- The Fall - Rise. The voice first falls from a medium or high to a rather low pitch level then rises to a moderately medium pitch. Fall-Rise can be pronounced within one syllable or spread over two or more syllables. If the Fall-Rise occurs within one syllable and the vowel is followed by a sonorant the voice usually falls during the vowel and goes up on the sonorant. If the Fall-Rise is spread over two or more syllables the fall is completed within the stressed syllable, all the following unstressed or partially stressed syllables being said very low. The rise in this case occurs from the lowest pitch level.
- The Rise - FaII - Rise. The voice rises from a very low pitch level moves up to the medium(or high) one, falls deep down, then rises again.
- The Mid-Level maintains a level pitch between high and low; the voice neither rises nor falls.
