How many times can you remember hearing your mother say to you, “Watch your tone!” Maybe an angry attitude came through your voice as you spoke to a parent or teacher. An author’s tone in a written work isn’t that different from the voice tone in a conversation. We just have to be able to learn the signs that give clues to the meaning behind the words.
Exmples of Tone Changes
Tone of voice can change instantly as the speaker places emphasis on different words.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
- I didn’t say you ate the pie.
Tone in Spoken Conversation
How many times have you been in the middle of a conversation with a friend or co-worker when you suddenly became aware of their voice tone? Maybe they appear exuberant and unusually happy about something. On the other hand, you may remember a time when the other person in a conversation withdrew and became quiet. Then, when they finally spoke, their tone indicated clear resentment or outright anger. If you remember such occurrences, you probably realize that one’s tone of voice can change the meaning of the words. For example, “Have a good day,” spoken in a clear, forthright, pleasant tone brings forth happy, positive responses in the listeners. On the other hand, “Have a good day,” spoken in a sarcastic tone, suggests quite the opposite.
A speaker’s tone of voice is usually easy to discern in spoken conversation. One reason it’s easier for us to pick up on tone in conversation is that we can read the facial expressions of the other person. But an author’s tone in a story or novel, is not always as clear to the reader. Missing the tone can cause confusion to the reader. In fact, a lack of understanding of tone can cause the reader to miss key points and completely misunderstand the author’s main ideas. However, readers can learn to discern an author’s tone in a story just as easily as listeners pick up a speaker’s voice tone.
Good writers usually leave clues for readers regarding tone and other story elements. One just has to watch for these hints. Most importantly, readers need to remember that tone, style, plot, mood, and even characters are interwoven together, and these elements work together to form a unified story. Teachers who teach tone and other story elements effectively can point out these tidbits of information so that students can pick up on the author’s tone quickly.
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