The author's attitude or feeling toward the subject matter, conveyed through their word choice, sentence structure, and overall writing style.
Here's a breakdown:
* Attitude or feeling: Tone expresses how the author feels about what they're writing about, whether it's happy, sad, angry, sarcastic, humorous, etc.
* Conveyed through: The author doesn't directly state their tone; they use specific techniques like:
* Word choice: Using words with strong emotional connotations.
* Sentence structure: Short, choppy sentences can create urgency or tension, while longer, flowing sentences might convey calmness or contemplation.
* Overall writing style: Formal language often suggests seriousness, while informal language might suggest playfulness or familiarity.
Examples:
* Formal tone: "The data suggests a significant decline in the population of this species."
* Informal tone: "This animal is totally disappearing!"
* Humorous tone: "My dog ate my homework. Again."
Why tone is important:
Understanding tone is crucial for interpreting text. It helps readers grasp the author's meaning and connect with the message on an emotional level.