National 5 Close Reading Workshop Questions on Tone

If you are asked about tone, you are being asked to think about the attitude of the writer. Ask yourself this: what would the writer’s tone of voice be if she read her article aloud?

There are lots of different tones that can be used by an author, but you have to be able to identify the correct one. Sarcastic. Humorous. Ironic. Persuasive. Tongue-in-cheek. Emotive. Formal. Matter of fact. Informal....etc.

Some popular tones N.B. These are just examples. You may be asked about others!

Informal/chatty/colloquial tone Features to look out for: Abbreviations. Slang. Dialect. Sentences without a verb (minor sentences). The use of first person or second person.

e.g. And there I was banging on about my cash problems. Nuff said. Sign of the times.

Humorous tone (aka “light-hearted”) Features to look out for: Use of exaggeration (hyperbole). Providing a funny anecdote. Telling jokes. Mixing formal and informal language. The use of irony. The use of puns. Anti-climax.

e.g. The last time I saw legs that thin, there was a message tied around them. And talking of pigeons, his chest was so curved that I fully expected to see feathers on it.

Ironic tone (aka “tongue-in-cheek”) This where the author says the opposite of what she means. e.g. The concert lasts for four hours with no interval. How lovely; I can’t wait! This tone is used to mock or criticise something/somebody in a humorous way. Often to make an important point about something serious.

e.g. I was told to bring three pieces of identification with me; a letter of recommendation from my previous employer; a full CV; and my application form printed off. You have to admit, they don’t ask much.

Emotive tone The author will use lots of emotive language. The author is trying to stir up emotions in the reader by using particular words and phrases.

e.g. The heartless thieves left the weary pensioner and the helpless infant terrified for their lives.

Persuasive tone The author will use a number of persuasive features in order to encourage the reader to agree with their opinion/point of view/beliefs. For example, Emotive language. Rhetorical questions. Address the reader directly (you, we, us, our etc...) Attitude markers (clearly, obviously, unfortunately etc...)

Formal/serious tone Formal language is used. Information is given in a neutral and unemotional manner. Absence of humour. Often very factual.

Mocking tone The author is making fun of and/or ridiculing something. Some of the features of humorous and/or informal tone may be used.

How to answer: 1.State the tone. 2.Provide a quote for evidence. 3. Explain how the author creates the tone in the quote you have chosen. Think about Word Choice; Imagery; Sentence Structure; specific features etc…

N.B. Sometimes the question will state what the tone is. In this instance, you would obviously just have to do steps 2 and 3.

We also live in a world where a manic mum calls herself a Tiger Mother and writes a bestselling book by the same name about how to produce straight-A, violin-playing, tennis-champ, superkids, and where pushy, anxious helicopter parents hover over every school. A friend reports that when her son was due to visit the Brecon Beacons on a school camping trip this summer, three mothers pulled out their sons because the weather forecast was “rainy”.

1.Explain how the author uses language to create a mocking tone (2) 2.Explain how the author uses language to create a humorous tone (2).

1. “straight-A, violin-playing, tennis-champ, superkids”. The author creates a mocking tone by listing a variety of different things that Tiger Mothers expect their children to achieve, thus making fun of and ridiculing their unrealistic expectations.

2. The author creates a humorous tone. “A friend reports...was “rainy”” He does this by providing an anecdote regarding how Tiger Mothers are so overprotective of their children that they forbid them to go on a school trip because of something as minor as a bit of rain.