The focus of interest for the working group on Suprasegmental Categories – like that of other groups working on ‘the phonetic theory that the symbols represent’ – should primarily be on theoretical considerations. A main objective would therefore be to come up with a set of categories to be symbolized within the IPA framework. As a first step in this direction I have as the coordinator of the group devised a tentative list of such suprasegmental categories to be discussed within the working group. In a circular letter accompanying the list of suprasegmental categories I expressed the opinion that suprasegmentals within the IPA framework are not primarily in need of revision but rather addition. Another issue addressed in this letter is the question of the level of abstraction on which symbolization should take place for suprasegmental categories like stress and prominence relations as well as boundary signals, which seem to have a complex cueing with several phonetic correlates. I also expressed the possibility that the increasing number of discourse studies and studies of spontaneous speech may also call for an extension of symbols for suprasegmental categories that are not met in read speech and monologue and are not traditionally considered to be linguistic.