What term refers to the modulation of voice used to support meaning?

• A. Intonation
• B. Pitch
• C. Volume
• D. Rhythm

Answer: (A)

How voice changes its pitch across an utterance to convey meaning is being tested. This pattern—intonation—lets you signal whether a sentence is a question, a statement, or carries emphasis or attitude, even when the words stay the same. Intonation captures the overall contour of pitch throughout the utterance, not just a single moment of high or low pitch. That’s why it’s the best answer: it describes the organized pitch movement that people use to add meaning. Pitch, by itself, refers to how high or low the voice is at a given moment, without describing the moving pattern across the phrase. Volume refers to how loud or soft you are, which affects emphasis but doesn’t define the pitch contour used to convey meaning. Rhythm concerns timing and stress patterns across syllables, not the pitch variation that carries intent.