BASIC TONE WORDS



What is Tone? How Can I identify it?

When asked to identify tone, a reader is to infer the speaker's or writer's feelings or attitude about the subject of his/her work. Note that the tone words on this list are all adjectives, words that describe. Tone may change within a piece of writing; be on the watch for such tone shifts.

In order to identify the tone, the reader must first clearly identify the subject of the poem. In poetry, the reader can look at the following elements and identify their effects on tone: word choice, figurative language, imagery, rhythm and rhyme, format of the poem and line length, and punctuation. Picking a precise tone can be tricky, but the right word makes a difference in your literary analysis proficiency.

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|admiring affectionate afraid |exciting |remorseful |

|ambivalent (uncertain about a choice) angry |fanciful |respectful |

|amused |forgiving |restrained (not emotional) |

|apologetic |frightened |sad |

|ashamed |frightening |sarcastic (sharp, wounding) scheming |

|audacious (bold, spirited, reckless) |frivolous |(tricky) |

|benevolent (kind, well-meaning) bewildered |giddy (silly, lighthearted) |scornful (arrogant) |

|(confused, puzzled) |grateful |self-mocking |

|bitter (biting, full of hate) |happy |self-pitying |

|bored |horrific |sentimental (emotional) serious |

|calm or calming |humorous |sharp |

|candid (honest) caring |hypocritical(two-faced) |shocking |

|cheerful |impassioned (of strong emotion) |silly |

|childish |indignant |skeptical (disbelieving) solemn |

|cold |instructive |(serious) |

|compassionate (deeply sympathetic) |insulting |somber |

|complimentary |irreverent (not respectful) |sorrowful |

|conceited |ironic |straightforward (direct) |

|condescending (superior, patronizing) |joyous |superior |

|confused |light-hearted |sweet |

|contemptuous (disdainful, scornful) critical |loving |sympathetic threatening |

|cruel |malevolent (mean-spirited, evil) |tired |

|curious |matter-of-fact (unemotional) |tolerant |

|doubtful |mocking |tragic |

|depressed |nostalgic (longing for the past) |uncertain (doubting) |

|detached (emotionally unmoved) didactic |optimistic (hopeful) |upset |

|(instructive) |outraged |urgent |

|dramatic |peaceful |vengeful (meaning to hurt) |

|dreamy |pessimistic (not hopeful) playful |vibrant |

|encouraging |pleading (begging) |warm |

| |poignant (moving, sorrowful) praising |worried |

| |proud (full of praise or esteem) |zealous(eager and involved) |

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