Tone 3 Pronounced as Tone 4

• The native speaker's tone contour provides a typical representation of Tone 3 (tone value 2-1-4) - the pitch value falls from the 1st to the 4th timepoints, forms a dipping point in the middle of the tone contour, and then rises from the 5th to the 11th timepoint. Pitch value ranges from 150Hz to 230Hz.
• The learners' tone contours show clear falling trend from the beginning to the end. Pitch value ranges from 200Hz to 310Hz. Average pitch value is high, around 250Hz.

• Because the offset of the tone in the first syllable is high, pitch value of the starting point of both native speaker's and the learners' tone contours is high.
• The native speaker's tone contour has a clear dipping point in the middle.
• The learners' tone contours show falling trend, without a dipping point.

Suggestions for teachers:

• remind students to rise pitch value from the middle of Tone 3 pronunciation to the end after the falling trend from the beginning to the middle