SOAPSTone
Speaker
What can you say about the speaker
based on references in the text? Is
race, gender, class, or age important?
Occasion
What is the context of this writing?
What issues (whether large or
immediate) may have motivated the
speaker to think about the incident or
situation?
Audience
At whom is the text directed? Who is
being addressed? Identify a
particular audience and some of their
characteristics.
Purpose
What is the intent of the author (to
inform, entertain, persuade)? What is
the message and how does the author
want the audience to respond?
Subject
What is the focus or main topic? The
subject can be stated by using a few
words.
Tone
Using textual support, what is the
feeling communicated by the author?
Tone Words
Afraid
Allusive
Angry
Apologetic
Audacious
Benevolent
Bitter
Boring
Candid
Celebratory
Childish
Cold
Complementary
Condescending
Confused
Contemptuous
Defensive
Detached
Didactic
Dramatic
Dreamy
Encouraging
Fanciful
Frivolous
Giddy
Happy
Hollow
Horrific
Humorous
Inflammatory
Inspiring
Irreverent
Joking
Joyful
Mocking
Nostalgic
Objective
Peaceful
Pitiful
Poignant
Proud
Provocative
Restrained
Sad
Sarcastic
Seductive
Sentimental
Sharp
Shocking
Silly
Somber
Sweet
Sympathetic
Tired
Upset
Urgent
Vexed
Vibrant
Zealous