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Lesson 11 Student Notes, narrative
Helping to Establish Tone
Is the tone positive or negative overall? Use the following two lists to identify or create
tone.
Language to describe tone
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Positive tone/attitude words: lighthearted, hopeful, exuberant, enthusiastic,
complimentary, confident, cheery, optimistic, loving, passionate, amused, elated,
sympathetic, compassionate, proud
Negative tone/attitude words: angry, disgusted, outraged, accusing, furious,
wrathful, inflammatory, irritated, indignant, threatening
Irony/Sarcasm words: scornful, disdainful, contemptuous, sarcastic, cynical,
critical, facetious, patronizing, satiric, condescending, sardonic, bantering,
irreverent, taunting, , pompous, ironic, flippant, grotesque
Sorrow/Fear/Worry words: somber, melancholic, sad, disturbed, mournful,
solemn, serious, apprehensive, concerned, hopeless, resigned
Neutral tone/attitude words: formal, objective, incredulous, nostalgic,
ceremonial, candid, shocked, reminiscent, restrained, clinical, baffled,
sentimental, detached, objective, disbelieving, questioning, urgent, instructive,
matter-of-fact, learned, factual, informative, authoritative
Attitude Words
accusatory: charging of wrongdoing
apathetic: indifferent
awe: solemn wonder
bitter: exhibiting strong animosity
callous: unfeeling, insensitive to feelings
critical: finding fault
contemplative: studying, thinking
contemptuous: lacking respect
conventional: lacking spontaneity
cynical: an attitude of distrust
disdainful: expressing dislike, or hate
earnest: intense, a sincere state of mind
euphoric: feeling of elation or great joy
fanciful: using the imagination
flippant: lacking proper respect
forthright: directly frank
frivolous: lacking in seriousness
gloomy: darkness, sadness, rejection
hostile: extremely angry
impartial: attitude of being unbiased
indignant: attitude of being angry
intimate: very familiar
irreverent: lacking proper respect
judgmental: authoritative and critical
mocking: treating with ridicule
malicious: purposely hurtful
objective: unbiased view
optimistic: hopeful, cheerful
obsequious: polite only for gain or favor
patronizing: air of condescension
pessimistic: seeing the worst side
reflective: illustrating innermost thoughts
reverent: treating a subject with respect
ridiculing: slightly contemptuous banter
sarcastic: sneering, caustic
sardonic: scornfully and bitterly sarcastic
sincere: without deceit, genuine
solemn: deeply earnest, grave
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Is your piece (or that of another author) "mad, glad, or sad?" Some of the words may fit
in multiple categories, depending on the text. PS…these are GREAT grace notes!
MAD (negative overall)
accusatory
bitter
callous
condescending
contemptuous
critical
cynical
derisive
disdainful
flippant
frivolous
forthright
hostile
indignant
irreverent
judgmental
malicious
mocking
patronizing
pessimistic
ridiculing
GLAD (positive, pleasant overall)
awe
contemplative
earnest
euphoric
fanciful
frivolous
jovial
obsequious
optimistic
quizzical
reflective
reverent
sarcastic
sardonic
satiric
sincere
whimsical
gloomy
intimatemorose
pessimistic
reflective
reverent
sincere
solemn
SAD (negative overall)
apathetic
contemplative
despondent
earnest
forthright
OTHER/COMBINATION (formal/informal)
conventional
didactic
flippant
frivolous
haughty
impartial
intimate
matter-of-fact
objective
obsequious
reflective
reverent
sincere
solemn