For Day 17 of 30 Days of Intonation, we look at a short but important question so that you can use it appropriately in American English:

What?

Because so many non-native speakers struggle with the pronunciation of "What?", we start out by looking at the way you should pronounce "What?" in isolation.

It's important to remember that the "t" at the end of the world should be soft, not extremely obvious. This means that you should not release the tongue at the end of the "t" sound; there should be no air leaving your mouth. A hard "t" with this puff of air can actually sound very angry!

To ask this question in a polite way, be sure to use rising intonation in order to "check and confirm" what the other person said.

As I mentioned in the "What was that?" video, it can be challenging to ask "What?" with friendly, light intonation, so I suggest you practice "What was that?" instead.

It is more common to show shock and surprise using the single word "What?" You might change the tone even more to show disbelief, which is especially common among young people!

With flat or falling intonation, "What?" can sound annoyed or irritated, such as when someone has been interrupted in the middle of a project or task.

Last but not least, lengthening the question "What?" can show amazement, especially when observing a natural wonder or something truly awe-inspiring!

There's a lot you can do with a simple word, especially when your meaning is contained entirely within your tone!