Mood and Tone
True or false: Tone and mood always match. They are never different.
What is false?
(The tone and mood can be completely different or similar, depending on the author's intentions.)
Give one example of mood from this passage:
“My heart is like a singing bird/whose
nest is a weathered shoot./ My heart
is like an apple-tree...”
What is happy or joyful?
Name one tone from this passage:
Everyone was silent, obviously expecting the worst. Some people sat on the edge of their seats or tapped their feet, almost as though they were eager to learn the verdict and be done with the waiting. No one expected good news, and it was obvious from their drawn faces and wrinkled clothes that they had been waiting a long time to hear what was inevitable.
What is pessimistic?
Tone words can have different connotations. These are the categories tone words are divided into.
What are positive, negative and neutral?
Name one mood from this passage:
The students filed in to the auditorium for what would be their third assembly about bicycle safety.
Apparently they were unable to remember the basic rules from the prior two assemblies, or maybe the
problem was that the speaker forgot some important detail. Either way, it was another hour away from the classroom for 200 students; what a great use of their time.
What is sarcastic?
Name one tone from this passage:
As soon as we walked in the door, we felt at home. The hostess rushed to the door to greet us quickly and introduced us to several other people who were open and welcoming. By the end of the day, we'd made plans to play golf with one couple and to visit another couple later in the week for another party. What a great neighborhood this is!
What is friendly?
The overall feeling that the reader gets from a passage.
What is mood?
Give one mood form this passage:
Kiki the Cat licked her lips and stared at Bitty the Bird, who was singing a silly bird song in her cage. Cartoon noises played in the background as the children watched TV. Kiki tiptoed to the edge of the kitchen counter. Bitty kept singing, unaware of the creeping cat. She went for it. She sprang toward the bird cage.
What is humorous or amused?
Give one tone from this passage:
Then Gerald's eyes smiled; they had a trick of doing this when his lips were quite serious. Mademoiselle caught the twinkle, and she laughed, and Gerald laughed too.
What is joyful or friendly?
The word choice that the author uses to convey his/her feelings.
What is tone?
Name a mood from this passage:
We thought the game was over. The buzzer rang and we thought we had lost, but then the referee blew the whistle A foul was called and now Derrick had a chance to win the game for us. He stepped up to the free-throw line. The stadium, though filled with people, was completely silent.
What is tense or anxious?
Name one tone from this passage:
I think he might have gotten away all together if he had not unfortunately run into a net and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket. Peter's sobs were thankfully overheard by some friendly sparrows, who helped him wriggle out just in time, leaving his jacket behind him.
What is compassionate?
This is how mood and tone are different.
What is mood is the feeling that the reader feels and tone is the author's feelings on the topic.
Name one mood from this passage:
Katie cut out the construction paper with great care. Her hand moved with precision. This was not going to be an ordinary Valentines Day card. Katie was going to make it special. Her mom was going to love this card as much as Katie loved her.
What is loving?
Name one tone from this passage:
The conditions were just awful for an outdoor party. The guests stood in mud where there had once been a layer of fluffy white snow. Cold winds blew in from the lake, chilling the hot food and adding a layer of frost to the cold drinks. Many guests were sneezing and sniffling as they struggled to eat wearing gloves and scarves.
What is miserable or gloomy?