2.4.3 The usage of the Take-Off

• We use the Take-Off in a statement if it is a grumble:

|| I didn’t hurt you || (so why make all that fuss?)

|| You can’t possibly do that? || (you ought to know better)

|| I did || (grumbling contradiction)

• We use the Take-Off in wh-questions if they are repetition-questions, when we are repeating someone else’s question or when we want the other person to repeat some information:

|| When did I go? || (Or where?)

|| Why? || (Because I wanted to)

(I arrived at ten o’clock) || When? ||

(It took me two hours) || How long? ||

(John told me to do it) || Who told you to do it? ||

Notice that in questions where the other person is being asked to repeat information, the rise begins on the wh-word.

• We use the Take-Off in tag-questions after commands:

|| Come over here | will you? ||

|| Let’s have some music | shall we? ||

|| Hold this for me | would you? ||

• We use the Take-Off in tag-questions if neither the statement nor the tag-question have the word not in them:

|| You liked it | did you? ||

|| They’d like some more | would they? ||

• We use the Take-Off in tag-questions when we don’t want the other person to agree with us, but to give his opinion:

|| You’re coming to tea with us | aren’t you? ||

|| You weren’t here on Wednesday | were you? ||

|| He didn’t look ill | did he? ||

• We use the Take-Off in exclamation if it is questioning:

|| Oh? ||

|| Really? ||

|| Well? ||

2.4.4 The usage of the Dive

We use the Dive:

• in a statement if the statement is not complete but leading to a following word-group:

|| I looked at him | (and recognized him at once)

|| She took the car | (and drove to London)

|| When ever he comes to visit us | (he tries to borrow money)

• in statements which show reservations on the part of the speaker and which might be followed by but… or by you must admit or I must admit:

|| He’s generous || (but I don’t trust him)

|| He’s handsome || (you must admit)

|| I could take you there to morrow || (but not today)

|| I like your hat || (I must admit)

|| It wasn’t a very nice thing to do || (you must admit)

• if the statement is a correction of what someone else has said:

(He’s forty-five) || Forty- six ||

(I like him a lot) || You used to like him ||

(I can’t do it) || You can’t do it that way ||

• if the statement is a warning:

|| You’ll be late ||

|| I shan’t tell you a gain ||

|| You mustn’t shake it too much ||

• if the statement has two parts, of which the first is more important than the second, with the fall in the first part and the rise in the second:

|| I went to London on Monday ||

|| You can keep it if you really want it ||

|| He was very well when I last saw him ||

|| I’m very comfortable thank you ||

• in commands if we want the command to sound pleading, more a request than an order, with the fall on Do or Don’t if they occur, or on the main verb if not, and the rise at the end:

|| Shut the window ||

|| Do have some more tea ||

|| Send it as soon as you can ||

|| Don’t make me angry ||

Notice commands with only one important word:

|| Try ||

|| Take it ||

|| Lend it to them ||