Identifying Tone of the Passage

Tone of the passage indicates the opinion of the author on the subject he/she is writing
about. For example, consider you are asked to describe your favourite food item. From
your voice, body language and expressions, you would be indicating that you like the
subject you are talking about. Even without these physical clues, your attitude towards
the subject would be unmistakable from what you say and the words you choose.
Identifying the tone of the passage essentially boils down to understanding the emotion
behind what is written in the passage. Tone is essentially expressed through descriptive
elements - adjectives, adverbs, and figures of speech. Pay close attention to these while
deducing the tone of the passage.
While trying to determine the tone of the passage, ask yourself the following
questions:
• Hear the voice: Read the passage as if the author is speaking to you. Try to hear the
emotion in his/her voice. Do you think the author is expressing
approval/disapproval/neither approval or disapproval of the subject? Do you think the
author is excited by the subjected or dejected by it? Is he/she happy to discuss the
subject or getting weary of it? What is the dominant emotion? - Is the author angry,
outraged, reverential, mocking, objective etc?
• Positive/Negative/Neutral: If you had no prior knowledge about the subject, how would
you feel about it? If the passage is about a person, would you want someone to say that
about you?
If the answer is “Don’t Know” for both of these questions, the tone of the passage is
neutral. If the answer is negative then the tone of the passage is negative. Similarly, if
your answer is positive the tone is positive.
This alone can help you strike off one or two options. If the tone of the passage is not
negative, strike off all options that are negative. A note of caution, even if the author
does not use a single negative word, the tone can be negative. For example, if the
passage is sarcastic or satirical, the author can indicate his displeasure regarding the
subject without using a single negative word. For e.g.
Apple just launched the new iPhone 6 yesterday. A gigantic new screen and more
megapixels - exactly what I had always wanted from a phone. And to top it off, it is also
extremely reasonably priced. Now you have to sell just one, yes just one, kidney to have
the privilege of owning the IPhone 6.
As seen from the above paragraph, the attitude can be superficially positive but in reality
be extremely negative and biting.
• Descriptive words: When the author is guarded about expressing their opinion about a
subject, you will need to pay closer attention to the descriptive words used. Be extremely
sensitive to strongly positive or strongly negative adjectives. For example, egregious is a
strongly negative word. Even if the author tempers his judgement with other slightly
positive words, the net effect would still be negative.

List of Tones
Possible Tone Meaning of The Word
Absurd (-) inane; illogical; ridiculous;
pointing fingers; complaining; propose
Accusatory (-) that someone has done something
wrong
Acerbic (-) abrasive; harsh/ severe; bitter; hurtful;
Admiring (+) think highly of; respectful; praising
Aggressive (-) bellicose; hostile; forceful; argumentative
resentful; disturbed; indignant; offended;
Aggrieved (-)
disgruntled
Alarmed (-) frightened; scared; panicking; disturbed
having mixed feelings; uncertain; in a
Ambivalent (N)
dilemma; undecided
entertained; diverted; pleased; finding
Amused (+)
something funny; feeling delightful
furious; vexed; enraged; comes across
Angry (-)
as threatening
full of excitement; lively; vibrant;
Animated (+)
energetic
uninterested/unconcerned;
Apathetic (N/-)
unresponsive; indifferent; emotionless
regretful; repentant; remorseful;
Apologetic (+/-) acknowledging failure; asking
forgiveness
showing gratitude; thankful; approving;
Appreciative (+)
indebted for something or to someone;
zealous; enthusiastic; passionate;
Ardent (+)
fervour(higher degree)
overbearing; condescending; scoffing;
Arrogant (-)
ridiculing; contemptuous
self-confident; strong-willed;
Assertive (+/-)
authoritative; insistent
amazed, filled with wonder/awe;
Awestruck (+)
reverential
Belligerent (-) hostile; aggressive; combatant
sympathetic; tolerant; generous; caring;
Benevolent (+)
well meaning
skewed; prejudiced for or against
something/someone; personally
Biased (-)
favouring one person or group over
another
Bitter (-) angry; spiteful; antagonistic
insensitive; cold-hearted; cruel disregard;
Callous (-)
apathetic; uncaring; indifferent; ruthless
speaking or expressing without
Candid (N/+/-)
distortion; forthright; truthful
bitterly sarcastic; corrosive comments;
Caustic (-)
critical (excessively)
gives warning; reminding a
Cautionary (+) mistake/event of the past that shouldnot
be repeated; raises awareness
 praising; recognize something/someone
Celebratory (+) so; pay tribute to; glorify/memorilize
something
Comic (+) humorous; witty; entertaining
Commiserative (+) expressing sympathy or sorrow
Compassionate (+) sympathetic; empathetic; kind
worried; anxious; apprehensive of
Concerned (-)
something
Conciliatory (N/+) intended to placate or pacify; appeasing
considering someone/something inferior;
Condescending (-) patronising; showing/implying (personal)
superiority; looking down on others
Confused (N) unable to think clearly; befuddled; vague
Contemplative (N) Introspective
showing contempt; scornful; mocking;
Contemptuous (-)
ridiculing
expository; reproving; disapproving;
Critical (-)
criticising; finding fault
acerbic; causing pain and suffering;
Cruel (-)
unkind; spiteful
wanting to find out more; inquisitive;
Curious (N/+)
questioning
distrust towards people and society as a
whole; unsure about the sincerity of
Cynical (-)
people; scornful of motives/virtues of
others; mocking; sneering
defending a person/position/group;
Defensive (N/+/-)
shielding;
not ready to give up in the face of the
Defiant (-) inevitable; obstinate; argumentative;
contentious; unacceptable
Demeaning (-) disrespectful; shaming; humiliating
sad, melancholic; discouraging;
Depressing (-)
pessimistic
snide; sarcastic; mocking; dismissive;
Derisive (-)
scornful; jeering
Detached (N) aloof; objective; unfeeling; distant
intended to teach something; having
Didactic (+)
certain moral principles
Dignified (N/+) respectful; formal
Diplomatic (N) tactful; subtle; sensitive;
Disapproving (-) displeased; critical; condemnatory
Disgruntled (-) angry; dissatisfied; aggrieved
Disheartening (-) depressing; discouraging; demoralising
 discouraged; unhappy because
Disappointed (-)
something has gone wrong
belittle something/someone; dismissive;
Disparaging (-)
critical; scornful; trivialising
Dispassionate (-) indifferent; unsentimental; unsympathetic
Distressing (-) heart-breaking; sad; troubling
compliant; submissive; deferential;
Docile (N/+/-)
accommodating
asserting opinions in an arrogant
Dogmatic (-)
manner; dictatorial
Earnest (+) showing deep sincerity or feeling; serious
self-absorbed; selfish; conceited;
Egotistical (-)
boastful
easily affected by feelings actuated by
Emotional (+/-) experiencing love, hate, fear and similar
states
Empathetic (+) understanding; kind; sensitive
Encouraging (+) optimistic; supportive
Enthusiastic (+) excited; energetic
Dealing with principles of morality;
Ethical (+)
honesty; righteous
excessive praise or commendation;
Eulogistic (+)
laudatory
ambiguous; cryptic; unclear; vague;
Evasive (N/-)
superficial
Excited (+) emotionally aroused; stirred
subtle expressions intended to be
Euphemistic (-)
offensive, harsh or blunt
inappropriate humor for serious issues;
Facetious (-)
flippant
preposterous; ludicrous; absurd;
Farcical (-)
humorous and highly improbable
Flippant (-) glib; shallow; thoughtless; frivolous;
respectful; factual; appears intellectual
Formal (N/+)
and cultured; erudite
Frustrated (-) annoyed; discouraged; indignation
Gentle (+) kind; considerate;
macabre; grotesque; delighting in the
Ghoulish (-)
revolting or the loathsome; sadistic
exaggerated; more complicated than
Grandiose (-)
necessary; pompous
Grim (-) serious; gloomy; lacking humour
naïve; innocent; ignorant; easily
Gullible (N/+/-)
influenced
Evincing keen interest in human affairs,
Humanistic (+)
nature, welfare, values
Humble (+) deferential; modest
Humorous (+) amusing; entertaining; playful
exaggerated with the intention of making
Hyperbolic (+/-)
a discussion funny or ridiculous
Hypercritical (-) unreasonably critical; carping; nitpicking
pretentious; duplicitous; believing one to
Hypocritical (-)
posses virtues that others donot have
Impartial (N) unbiased; neutral; objective
Impassioned (+/-) filled with emotion; ardent
Imploring (+/-) pleading; begging
Impressionable (+/-) trusting; child-like
irrational; silly; foolish; stupid;
Inane (-)
nonsensical
Incensed (-) enraged; angry
disbelieving; unconvinced; questioning;
Incredulous (-)
suspicious
Indignant (-) annoyed; angry; dissatisfied
Informative (+) instructive; factual; educational
Inspirational (+) encouraging; reassuring; motivating
Consider one's own internal state of
Introspective (+)
feelings; insightful
Incendiary (+/-) Causing strong feelings; revolutionary
the opposite of what is meant;
Ironic (N/-)
paradoxical
lacking respect for things that are
Irreverent (-)
generally taken seriously; disdainful
bored or exhausted after having had too
Jaded (N/-) much of the same thing; weary;
benumbed
Joyful (+) positive; optimistic; cheerful; elated
Judgmental (-) critical; finding fault; disparaging
Laudatory (+) praising; recommending
affectionate; showing intense, deep
Loving (+)
concern towards something
gruesome; horrifying; frightening;
Macabre (-)
grotesque
desiring to harm others or to see others
Malicious (-)
suffer; ill-willed; spiteful
scornful; ridiculing; making fun of
Mocking (-)
someone; sneering
Mourning (N/-) grieving; lamenting; woeful
Naïve (N/+/-) innocent; unsophisticated; immature
self-admiring; selfish; boastful; self-
Narcissistic (-)
pitying
unpleasant; unkind; disagreeable;
Nasty (-)
abusive
Negative (-) unhappy; pessimistic
thinking about the past; wishing for
Nostalgic (+)
something from the past
impartial; unbiased; without prejudice;
Objective (N)
indiscriminate; fair
flattering; overly obedient and/or
Obsequious (N/-)
submissive; fawning; grovelling
Optimistic (+) hopeful; cheerful about the future
Outraged (-) angered and resentful; furious
Egalitarian; pertaining to the
Populist (N/+/-) characteristics of common people/
working class
Lacking vitality, imagination, distinction;
Pedestrian (N/+/-)
commonplace; uneventful
project superiority via showing sympathy;
Patronising (-)
condescending; scornful; pompous
reflective; introspective; philosophical;
Pensive (+/-)
contemplative
Persuasive (+/-) convincing; influential
seeing the negative side of things;
Pessimistic (-)
defeatist
Philosophical (N/+/-) theoretical; analytical; rational
full of fun and good spirits; humorous;
Playful (+)
jesting
Pragmatic (N/+) practical; realistic; sensible
Provocative (-) Inciting; stimulating; irritating; vexing
Pretentious (-) artificial; flashy
extremely idealistic but unrealistic and
Quixotic (N/+/-)
impractical
Regretful (+) apologetic; remorseful
instills a strong feeling of disgust;
Repulsive (-)
abhorrent
Resentful (-) aggrieved; offended; displeased; bitter
have accepted something unpleasant
Resigned (-) and believe that one cannot do anything
about it; unhappy
showing deep respect and esteem;
Reverent (+)
eulogistic
Appears as flamboyant/eloquent and
Rhetorical (+/-)
persuasive but lacks sincerity
morally right and just; guiltless; pious;
Righteous (+)
god-fearing
interesting to read but contains
Romantic (+)
unrealistic ideas; fanciful; exaggerated
Sarcastic (-) scornful; mocking; ridiculing
Satirical (-) making fun to show a weakness;
 ridiculing; sardonic
expressing contempt or derision;
Scornful (-)
scathing; dismissive
Sensationalistic (-) provocative; inaccurate; distasteful
thinking about feelings, especially when
Sentimental (+/-)
remembering the past; overemotional
Sincere (+) honest; truthful; earnest
Sceptical (N/+/-) disbelieving; unconvinced; doubting
Solemn (N/+/-) not funny; in earnest; serious
Theoretical rather than practical;
Speculative (+/-)
thoughtful; reflective; hypothetical
compliant; passive; accommodating;
Submissive (-)
obedient
compassionate; understanding of how
Sympathetic (+)
someone feels
Thoughtful (+) reflective; serious; absorbed
Tolerant (+) open-minded; sympathetic; lenient
Tragic (-) disastrous; calamitous
Using terminology or treating subject
Technical (N/+/-) matter in a manner peculiar to a
particular field, as a writer or a book
Uneasy (-) worried; uncomfortable; edgy; nervous
insistent; saying something must be
Urgent (+/-)
done soon; pressing; grave
Vindictive (-) resentful; vengeful; spiteful; unforgiving
Virtuous (+) lawful; righteous; moral; upstanding
Vitriolic (-) full of anger and hatred
Vituperative (-) cruel and angry criticism; abusive
Whimsical (N/+/-) quaint; playful; mischievous; offbeat
Witty (+) clever; entertaining; comical
Worried (-) anxious; stressed; fearful
intense longing for something/someone;
Yearning (+/-)
desire; craving
Zealous (+) passionate; ardent; fervour