What does tone mean in writing?
Tone in writing is the attitude your words employ. Just like tone of voice, tone in writing gives much more context beyond the words used. It can reveal intention or conceal it.
Tone is the certain use of formal or informal use of words in writing.
Tone tells us how the author (or the narrator or viewpoint character) feels about the subject matter. They might be lighthearted, serious, angry, laid-back, or something else entirely. Mood is the atmosphere or ambiance of a piece of writing. It's how the author wants the reader to feel.
The many different types of tone of voice
Formal. Informal. Humorous. Serious.
- Formal. A formal tone is common in a professional or academic context, when the piece needs to be direct and thorough while maintaining a respectful feel. ...
- Informal. ...
- Pessimistic. ...
- Optimistic. ...
- Tense. ...
- Curious. ...
- Uplifting. ...
- Aggressive.
Types of Tone in Writing
but here are the basic ones: Formal. Informal. Optimistic.
- Why am I writing this?
- Who is my intended audience?
- What do I want the reader to learn, understand, or think about?
The mood is the atmosphere of the story, and the tone is the author's attitude towards the topic. We can identify both by looking at the setting, characters, details, and word choices. By doing so, it will help us find meaning in the story or passage and help us feel more connected to the writing.
NOTE: Tone is expressed through the words and details the author selects. To determine the author's tone, you must notice how these words and details are used within the writing. Example: The following statements each express different attitudes about a shabby apartment.
Example Sentences
Noun He replied in a friendly tone. They spoke in hushed tones. Don't use that rude tone of voice with me.
How do you use tone in a sentence?
Use “tone” in a sentence
' She said with a tone of surprise. Don't speak to me in that tone of voice. “I need some money,” he said, with a tone of embarrassment. Tone of voice can indicate feelings.
The tone of any piece of content can be analyzed along 4 dimensions: humor, formality, respectfulness, and enthusiasm.

- Formal.
- Informal.
- Optimistic.
- Pessimistic.
- Joyful.
- Sad.
- Sarcastic.
- Honest.
- 1 Formal.
- 2 Informal.
- 3 Optimistic.
- 4 Worried.
- 5 Friendly.
- 6 Curious.
- 7 Assertive.
- 8 Encouraging.
Tone often describes the writing overall, but the mood of a piece of writing can change throughout it. For example, at the death of a character the mood could be depressed or sad, but at the discovery of a long lost friend, the mood could be upbeat and joyful.
- Cheerful.
- Dry.
- Assertive.
- Lighthearted.
- Regretful.
- Humorous.
- Pessimistic.
- Nostalgic.
- scared.
- anxious.
- excited.
- worried.
- foolish.
- smart.
- depressing.
Generally, there are three categories of tones in writing: positive, negative, and neutral. Within these categories are varying intensities of emotion that writers may want to evoke.
The tone of any piece of content can be analyzed along 4 dimensions: humor, formality, respectfulness, and enthusiasm.
Tone | (n.) The attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience conveyed through word choice and the style of the writing. Mood | (n.) The overall feeling, or atmosphere, of a text often created by the author's use of imagery and word choice.
What is tone vs mood examples?
Tone often describes the writing overall, but the mood of a piece of writing can change throughout it. For example, at the death of a character the mood could be depressed or sad, but at the discovery of a long lost friend, the mood could be upbeat and joyful.
In literary terms, tone typically refers to the mood implied by an author's word choice and the way that the text can make a reader feel. The tone an author uses in a piece of writing can evoke any number of emotions and perspectives.
a particular quality, way of sounding, modulation, or intonation of the voice as expressive of some meaning, feeling, spirit, etc.: a tone of command. an accent peculiar to a person, people, locality, etc., or a characteristic mode of sounding words in speech. stress of voice on a syllable of a word.
- 1 Formal.
- 2 Informal.
- 3 Optimistic.
- 4 Worried.
- 5 Friendly.
- 6 Curious.
- 7 Assertive.
- 8 Encouraging.
Tone is achieved through word choice (diction), sentence construction and word order (syntax), and by what the viewpoint character focuses on. Tone is created or altered by the way the viewpoint character/narrator treats the story problem and other characters, and by the way he responds to the events surrounding him.
In literature, tone is, simply put, the attitude that a character or narrator or author takes towards a given subject.
Tone in literature refers to the author's attitude toward a certain topic. Tone in literature refers to the author's attitude toward a certain topic. Through specific word choice, the author reveals their feelings and opinions to the reader, conveying the author's intentions behind the text.
An angry tone is typically used when the writer wants to convey a sense of frustration or outrage. It can take different forms, such as passive-aggressive, defensive, or sarcastic.