Tone is the way in which the author addresses a topic. The tone the author uses to present information
affects the meaning of the text.
To understand the tone of the passage look for:
Author's purpose—the reason the author wrote the passage affects the tone he or she uses. For example, a passage written to entertain often has a light-hearted tone and a passage with a purpose to instruct may have a factual or academic tone.
Author's attitude—the way the author feels about a topic influences the passage's tone. For example, a passage that shows the author's dislike of a topic may have a bitter tone.
Word choice—the words the author chooses to describe or explain a topic also affects the passage's tone. For example, using the words “necessary” and “most importantly” as opposed to “one may also” show urgency.
