Mood or Tone?
Mood and Tone are A. always the same B. are not the same
B= not the same
“Thank you! I seriously couldn’t have done this without you.” What is the speaker’s tone?
Grateful
“The park was filled with families. Music played, children laughed, and people spread blankets across the grass.” Which detail BEST creates the cheerful mood?
“children laughed” / “music played”
The hallway lights flickered as Marcus walked toward his locker. Behind him, a classroom door slowly creaked open.
The mood is creepy. Which words or phrases help create that mood?
“lights flickered” and/or “door slowly creaked open”
Leo shoved his notebook into his backpack. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter anymore.” His friends exchanged glances but said nothing. What is Leo’s tone, and what mood is created for the reader?
Tone = frustrated/defeated;
Mood = uncomfortable/awkward/tense
The feeling or atmosphere created for the reader. Mood or tone?
Mood
“Oh, great. Another group project. Exactly what I wanted.”
Sarcastic
The hallway was empty. Lockers disappeared into the darkness. Somewhere around the corner, a locker slammed. What mood is created?
Uneasy / nervous / tense
“The hallway was quiet after school. Papers still covered the bulletin boards, and backpacks were gone. Somewhere nearby, a locker suddenly slammed.” Which detail changes the mood from calm to uneasy?
“a locker suddenly slammed.”
“I told you I could do it,” Priya said, holding up the finished model. She tried not to smile as her classmates gathered around to look at it. Priya never says how she feels. What is her tone? What mood does the scene create?
Tone = proud/confident;
Mood = positive/upbeat/impressed
“Ugh. Do we seriously have to do this again?” The speaker’s attitude is annoyed/frustrated. Is that mood or tone?
Tone
Jake grinned as his friend missed the basketball hoop. “Wow, should I call the NBA scouts now, or do you need another warm-up shot?” They both laughed.
What is Jake’s tone?
Playful / teasing / joking
The teacher announces that tonight’s homework has been canceled. Students grin, high-five, and start packing up early. What mood is created?
Excited / cheerful / upbeat / joyful
The kitchen looked normal when Ava walked in. Her backpack was still on the chair, and a glass of water sat on the counter. Then she noticed muddy footprints leading from the back door toward the stairs.
The mood is uneasy. Which detail BEST helps create that mood?
“muddy footprints leading from the back door toward the stairs.”
At first, Ben laughed when the lights went out. “Very funny. Who did that?” A few seconds passed. No one answered. “Guys?” he called again, much more quietly.
How does Ben’s tone shift?
Playful/amused to nervous/uncertain/concerned
“I’m sure this will go wonderfully,” the narrator says as everything begins falling apart. The narrator’s attitude is sarcastic, while the reader may feel amused. Which is tone and which is mood?
Sarcastic = TONE; amused = MOOD
“Come on, you've got this! You worked way too hard to give up now.” What is the speaker’s tone?
Encouraging / supportive
Evan smiles as he reaches for the doorknob. Behind him, a shadow moves across the wall—but he doesn’t notice. What mood is created for the reader?
Tense / nervous / suspenseful
The gym buzzed as students talked and laughed while waiting for the game to begin. Music played over the speakers, and players joked with each other during warm-ups. Then the referee blew the whistle. The players stopped smiling, and the crowd grew quiet as both teams moved into position.
“The players stopped smiling” and “the crowd grew quiet as both teams moved into position.”
Maya grabbed the car keys and hurried toward the door. “Finally! I can drive myself!” Dad followed close behind. “Okay. Seat belt. Both hands on the wheel. No music. Don’t answer your phone. Watch your speed.” He paused. “Maybe I should just follow you.” Maya laughed. “Dad, I’m going three miles away.”
Identify Dad’s tone, Maya’s tone, and the mood created for the reader.
Dad’s tone: nervous/worried/anxious
Maya’s tone: excited/eager/enthusiastic
Mood: humorous/amused/lighthearted
Maya is excited to enter the abandoned house, but the scene makes the reader feel nervous/uneasy. Which feeling is the mood? Which is simply Maya’s emotion?
Nervous/uneasy = MOOD; excited = CHARACTER EMOTION
“Okay, this might be a disaster, but at least it’ll make a great story. Let’s do it!”
Optimistic, confident, upbeat
Rain tapped softly against the cabin windows as the fire crackled beside them. Everyone settled deeper into their blankets. Then the rain stopped. Three slow knocks came from the other side of the glass.
Peaceful/cozy/relaxed to uneasy/ominous/tense
“The campsite was quiet as everyone settled into their tents. The fire had burned down, and crickets chirped in the woods. Then the crickets stopped. A branch snapped somewhere beyond the firelight.”
Which details shift the mood from peaceful to tense?
“the crickets stopped” and “A branch snapped somewhere beyond the firelight.”
Eli had practiced the song for weeks and volunteered to go first. He walked confidently to the microphone and smiled at the audience. Then the music started—and it was the wrong song. Eli froze and stared at the sound booth as the audience waited.
How does the mood shift?
Confident/excited to awkward/tense/uncomfortable