Drill 1. Each of the following sentences begins with the sequence"step-low", and continues with syllables that are "low" to the end. Thus each sentence has a melody somewhat like the English sentence "THEY were coming." Remember that in Igbo, however, the higher pitch at the beginning has absolutely nothing to do with emphasis. After the English is read aloud, each student should repeat each sentence in direct imitation of the model until his pronunciation is acceptable.
| It's a bed. | ọ́ bụ̀ akwa |
| It's a pot. | ọ́ bụ̀ ite. |
| It's a rope. | ọ́ bụ̀ ụ̀dọ̀. |
| It's a bag. | ọ́ bụ̀ akpa. |
| It's a drum. | ọ́ bụ̀ ịgba. |
| He saw a bed. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ akwa. |
| He saw a pot. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ ite. |
| He saw a rope. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ ụ̀dọ. |
| He saw a bag. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ akpa. |
| He saw a drum. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ ịgba. |
Drill 2. Each of the·sentences in this drill differs in tone from those in Drill 1 only in that the very last syllable is a "step"; that is, the pitch goes up again with the last syllable, but not quite as high as the initial "step".
| It's a cup. | ọ́ bụ̀ ikó. |
| It's an egg. | ọ́ bụ̀ akwá. |
| It's a dress. | ọ́ bụ̀ uwé. |
| It's a box. | ọ́ bụ̀ igbé. |
| It's a compound. | ọ́ bụ̀ ezí. |
| He saw a cup. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ ikó. |
| They saw an egg. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ akwá. |
| They saw a dress. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ uwé. |
| They saw a box. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ igbé. |
| They saw a compound. | ọ́ hụ̀rụ̀ ezí. |
(Note: ùwé may also refer to a blouse, shirt, or other sewn garment. èzí 'compound' is the area on which a house and subsidiary buildings are located.)
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