ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Tone is the author’s, speaker’s, or narrator’s attitude toward a subject, evident through diction and other style elements.

Detailed explanation-2: -TONE: the writer or speaker’s attitude toward the subject, audience, or events of the text. Word choice (diction), details, imagery, and sentence structure (syntax) all contribute to the understanding of tone.

Detailed explanation-3: -The two main building blocks of style are diction and syntax: Diction refers to word choice. A writer might choose a certain word based on its denotation-its dictionary definition-or its connotation-the “slang” or implied meaning a word can pick up in certain contexts. Syntax refers to sentence structure.

Detailed explanation-4: -Diction determines the words you use, which consequently determines the writing style and type of tone you use. Through diction, a writer can sound friendly or serious, knowledgeable or clueless, poetic or dry. Good writers use diction to also communicate subtext and layered meanings beyond words’ literal definitions.

Detailed explanation-5: -When analyzing diction, look for specific words or short phrases that seem stronger than the others (ex. Bragg’s use of slingshot instead of travel). Diction is NEVER the entire sentence! Also, look for a pattern (or similarity) in the words the writer chooses (ex.