C2Tone and attitude25 min
Words for tone and attitude
Name the feelings behind a voice or a text, with adjectives such as wry, sardonic, deferential, ambivalent, scathing and wistful.
Advanced readers are expected to hear the attitude behind the words: is the writer amused, bitter, admiring or merely cautious? Precise adjectives for tone let you describe a speaker's stance in a single word, and they are essential in literary analysis, reviews and exam questions about the writer's attitude.
- sardonicadjective
- mocking in a bitter, grimly humorous wayHe gave a sardonic smile when told the lift was "temporarily unavailable" for the fifth week.
- wryadjective
- showing dry, mild amusement, often about something slightly unfortunateShe wore a wry expression as she read the typo in her own title.
- condescendingadjective
- behaving as if you are superior to the person you are speaking toThe condescending tone of his reply made her feel like a child.
- deferentialadjective
- showing polite respect by accepting another person's authorityThe apprentice was deferential and never interrupted the master.
- dismissiveadjective
- treating something as unworthy of serious thoughtHer dismissive shrug ended the discussion.
- wistfuladjective
- feeling a gentle, slightly sad longing for something past or unattainableHe gave a wistful look at the old photographs.
- impassionedadjective
- expressed with strong, sincere feelingAn impassioned appeal won the hall's support.
- detachedadjective
- not emotionally involved; objectiveThe doctor's detached manner reassured some patients and unsettled others.
- ambivalentadjective
- having mixed or conflicting feelings about somethingKofi felt ambivalent about leaving the town he had always known.
- scathingadjective
- extremely and bitterly criticalThe review was scathing, dismissing the whole book as shallow.
- effusiveadjective
- showing great, sometimes excessive, enthusiasm in speechHer effusive thanks embarrassed the volunteers.
- guardedadjective
- careful not to reveal much, especially out of cautionThe minister gave a guarded answer to the reporter.
Exercise 1 of 2
Name the tone
Choose the word that best completes each sentence or best explains the meaning.
Exercise 2 of 2
Complete the sentences
Complete each sentence with one word from this list. Use each word once: scathing, detached, condescending, wistful, impassioned, dismissive, effusive, guarded.
The judge was about the lawyer's argument, calling it "lazy, careless and misleading".
After the concert, the audience was in its praise, calling it the finest performance in years.
Her plea for more funding moved even the sceptics in the room.
A good referee remains , showing no sign of favouring either side.
Do not be so about my idea; at least listen to the whole proposal before you reject it.
The old sailor's voice as he described the harbour of his youth made the young listeners go quiet.
Pat explained the basic function in such a way, as if I could not possibly have used a computer before.
The witness was throughout, answering each question in as few words as possible and volunteering nothing.
Source
Original lesson by Joy English.
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