Tone

( identify and analyse by considering Word Choice, Imagery, Sentence Structure, Typography)

Tone Markers Effect ExampleChatty / informal / colloquial Contractions (wouldn’t)

Short sentencesUse of 1st and 2nd Person (I, you)Chatty (slangy) expressionsFree use of exclamation marks and question marksMinor sentences (No way!)Informal commands “Get away …”

To get close to the reader in order to achieve something:Eg their agreement, approval….

Factual / matter of fact / formal Avoids any or all of the aboveLong(er) sentencesLots of information, statistics …No emotional / emotive words

To impart information in a neutral way.This is often used effectively when contrasted with informal tone

Humorous Exaggeration (hyperbole)Funny stories and anecdotesMixing formal and informal

To strive for comic effect, to entertain, to mock

Please don’t ask for credit as you may get smacked in the gob.

Ironic / tongue in cheek / sarcastic Saying the opposite of what you mean

To criticise The concert lasts only four hours? I can’t wait.

Emotive Word choice which stirs up strong emotions, reactions and attitudesPersuades by arousing our feelings

To arouse strong feeling Terrified infantsHeartless thieves

Persuasive Using comparatives / superlativesWord choice which highlights excellence, perfection, trustworthiness

To win over the reader to the writer’s point of view

A better way of banking is …The best way to do this is …There is no finer writing than …

Example Tone / Markers EffectWe believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America open to the dreams of the immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag, to the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner, to the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president.It has been one of the finest summers our family can remember: the basement flooded no less than three times; Jake caught pneumonia on his beach holiday and Alice came back from holiday to find herself unemployed. A great season all round I’d say. One of the very best.For generations, our whisky has stood the test of time for quality. According to world experts, it is not just the finest in its class, but the touchstone of excellence for the entire industry, a beacon of perfection in a mediocre world. What other choice is there when only the best will do?So, you with me? Up for making your parents proud? I thought so. Here’s how we’ll do it. Turn to page 14. Read what it says about positive thinking. Go on, do it now. Did that ring a bell with you? I thought so. Who wouldn’t want that sweet smell of success? That seal of approval from all of your family? All this could be yours. How so? Just fill in the coupon, send £15.50 and our guide will be winging it’s way to you, lickety-spit.

The number of people playing sport at least once a week is higher than at any other time before the Olympic Games and, at 15.5 million, is 100,000 higher than it was in April 2012. Sport England and the government highlight the fact that 1.5 million more adults are playing sport regularly than when the bid for the Olympics was won in 2005.