Tone is defined as the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject and the audience. Understanding tone in prose and poetry can be challenging because the reader doesn't have voice inflection to obscure or to carry meaning. Thus, an appreciation of word choice, details, imagery, and language all contribute to the understanding of tone. To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret meaning.
A list of tone words is one practical method of providing a basic "tone vocabulary." An enriched vocabulary enables students to use more specific and subtle descriptions of an attitude they discover in a text. Here is a short list of simple but helpful "tone words":
| Angry | Sad | Sentimental | Afraid |
| Sharp | Cold | Fanciful | Detached |
| Upset | Urgent | Complimentary | Contemptuous |
| Silly | Joking | Condescending | Happy |
| Boring | Poignant | Sympathetic | Confused |
| Apologetic | Hollow | Childish | Humorous |
| Joyful | Peaceful | Horrific | Allusive |
| Mocking | Sarcastic | Sweet | Objective |
| Nostalgic | Vexed | Vibrant | Zealous |
| Tired | Frivolous | Irrelevant | Bitter |
| Audacious | Benevolent | Dreamy | Shocking |
| Seductive | Restrained | Somber | Candid |
| Proud | Giddy | Pitiful | Dramatic |
| Provocative | Didactic | Lugubrious | Sentimental |