Efficient development of intonation skills in students of non-linguistic universities

The analysis attempted in this study is explained by the need for adequate approaches to developing intonation skills, whereby the authors consider the issues associated with teaching English intonation to students at a non-linguistic university. The development and improvement of the communicative competence while studying professional and business communication make students focus on intonation as a linguistic phenomenon which facilitates its conscious recognition and helps boost students’ speech and communicative competence. The paper examines the common mistakes made by the non-majors in the intonation patterns of dialogues and monologues in business discourse. The students often face the challenge of choosing falling or rising pitches. Using the wrong intonation leads to the formation of an inappropriate type of sentence. The authors provide recommendations towards developing the skills of appropriate composition of interrogative constructions in business negotiations and professional communication.