How to identify a writer's tone

This page has been put together to help you practise and revisit some of the brilliant skills you’ve learned all through primary school.

It’s a great way to boost your confidence in English and get you ready for the exciting next step into Year 8!

A writer’s tone shows the attitude or feeling the writer has about a subject.

This guide will walk you through how to:

• work out why a writer wrote a text and how they feel about what they are saying

• identify different tones

• work out the tone and use evidence from the text to support your answer

1. Formal

A formal tone sounds serious, respectful and professional.

Typical uses:

· reports

· formal letters

· explanation texts

Example:

I am writing to inform you of the changes to the school timetable.

2. Informal

An informal tone sounds friendly, relaxed and conversational.

Typical uses:

· texts

· personal emails

· diaries

Example:

You’ll have a great time at the concert!

3. Persuasive

A persuasive tone tries to influence the reader’s thoughts or actions.

Typical uses:

· leaflets

· adverts

· speeches

Example:

Why wouldn’t you want to be part of our amazing team?

4. Humorous

A humorous tone aims to amuse the reader.

Typical uses:

· stories

· cartoons

· light-hearted articles

Example:

It started raining just as I remembered I’d left my umbrella at home… again!

5. Sympathetic

A sympathetic tone shows care, understanding or concern.

Typical uses:

· personal letters

· reflective writing

Example:

I was very sorry to hear about what you’ve been going through.

Writers create tone through the language they choose.

To spot the tone, look closely at:

1. Vocabulary (word choices)

• Emotive words are words that make you feel something → they can show a persuasive or sympathetic tone
• Technical words → often show a formal or informative tone
• Slang or contractions, for example like, don’t, won’t, yeah → these usually show an informal tone

2. Sentence structure

• Long, detailed sentences → often sound formal or informative
• Short, punchy sentences → can create a dramatic or persuasive tone

3. Punctuation

• Exclamation marks (!) → can show excitement, urgency, or persuasion
• Question marks (?) → can show that the writer wants you to think or reflect on something
• Commas (,) → show pauses, and can make writing more clear
• Extra clauses → extra bits of information added to a sentence, that make writing more detailed.

Inference is like being a detective!

It means using the clues in a piece of writing to work something out.

Understanding tone helps you to:

• work out what the writer is trying to hint or suggest
• understand how the writer feels about the subject
• explain your answer clearly using clues from the text

When asked about tone, always:

1. Name the tone

2. Quote a word, phrase or punctuation mark

3. Explain what it shows about the writer’s attitude

Remember:

Tone is not just what the writer says, but how they say it.

Think about these questions to stretch your thinking and sharpen your skills!

• Why do you think writers choose different tones for different types of writing?

• Can you think of a time when using an informal tone would be better than a formal tone? Why?

• How does tone help a writer connect with their audience?

Have a chat about your answers with a parent, teacher or your class.