Word Choice and the Creation of Tone

This week students will be concentrating on the author's word choice and how it creates tone in a story.  Tone and mood are closely connected but two separate and distinct ideas.  

To review:

• Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation).
•  Tone is set by the setting, choice of vocabulary, and other details.
• A work of writing can have more than one tone. 

Some Words That Describe Tone 

Amused 

Humorous 

Pessimistic 

Angry 

Informal 

Playful 

Cheerful

 Ironic 

Pompous 

 Serious 

Formal 

Resigned 

Suspicious 

 Witty

• Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s words. 
• It is the feeling the reader gets from reading those words. 
• The mood may be the same throughout a story, or it may change from situation to situation.

Words That Describe Mood 

Melancholy 

Frightening 

Mysterious 

Frustrating 

Romantic 

Gloomy 

Sentimental 

Happy 

Sorrowful 

Joyful 

Suspenseful