Abstract :

This study explores the challenges and strategies involved in teaching the intonation of parenthetical clauses to ESL (English as a Second Language) learners. Parenthetical clauses, often used to add commentary or clarification within discourse, rely heavily on prosodic cues such as pitch change, pause, and rhythmic variation for proper identification and comprehension. Many ESL learners struggle to perceive or reproduce these features, leading to communication breakdowns and reduced fluency. The research involves a classroom-based intervention where participants underwent targeted pronunciation training focused on intonational features of parentheticals. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, recorded speech samples, and learner feedback. The results show a significant improvement in learners’ ability to both recognize and produce correct intonation patterns. These findings suggest that explicit instruction on intonation can enhance learners’ spoken discourse competence and listening comprehension. The study concludes with pedagogical recommendations for integrating intonation training into ESL curricula.

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Keywords :

English Prosody, ESL Learners, Intonation, Parenthetical Clauses, Pronunciation Instruction, Spoken Discourse.

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