Do You Know Your Tones & Moods

Check all words that demonstrate a loving tone.

• dear

• mean

• ugly

• sweet

• jealous

What's the difference between the tone and the mood of a passage?

Check all words that demonstrate a loving tone.

• dear

• mean

• ugly

• sweet

• jealous

What word would you use to describe the tone of this passage?

• Ironic
• Informational
• Joyful
• Dramatic

There are a lot of different words to describe positive tones. A writer can have a celebratory attitude, or she can have a hopeful, excited or reflective tone. Admiring, lighthearted and sympathetic are positive tones, too. On the other hand, a negative tone could be frantic, selfish, bitter or skeptical. Even if the tone isn't positive or negative, there is still a tone. Every piece of writing has one. Sometimes, the tone can be neutral. You might describe a neutral tone as impartial or objective.

Which of the following passages has the most objective tone?

• Do you know about the brave dogs in Nome, Alaska, who saved the town in 1925?

• The people of Nome, Alaska were in big trouble in 1925. It was up to the dogs to save them.

• The hero dogs in Nome, Alaska, did what no pilot could do: they brought medicine to the town.

• In 1925, people were sick and planes couldn't land in Nome, Alaska. Teams of dogs delivered the medicine.

What is the TONE of this scene?

"Bouncing into the room, she lit up the vicinity with a joyous glow on her face as she told us about her fiance and their wedding plans."

• Annoyed

• Cheerful

• Grateful

I feel like throwing something! I was typing my paper and was almost finished. Then the power went out. Now my paper is lost. This is a horrible night.

What is the tone of this story?

• serious

• excited

• angry

• scary

"The night was dark and stormy."

The tone is ..................

• Gloomy

• Humorous

Which of these seem gloomy?

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Which of these seem gloomy?

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