Concept of Tones of the Passage + Practice Questions

What is the tone of a passage?

The tone of the passage represents the author’s sentiment or attitude towards the subject being discussed. In other words, it’s the predominant emotion the author displays towards the subject.

Learning to identify the tone will help you in multiple ways: answering the direct tone based questions as well as figuring out the implicit information and inferences.

What are the important tones of RCs that usually come in exams?

Narrative / Descriptive / Expository / Demonstrative  

In a narrative reading comprehension, the author tries to convey a story or an event. It usually answers the question- “Then what happened?”. A narrative type of RC often presents situations like a dispute, conflicts, problems & solutions, motivational events, etc. The basic purpose is to gain a readers’ interest and thus, to engage the reader. Topics like the experience of the first day at school or something that changed your life, etc.

Instructive / Informative / Educational / Didactic / Enlightening  

Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction; serving to instruct, enlighten or inform.

Jocular / Humorous / Amusing 

When the author is humorous, he/she tries to make the context of the passage funny and amusing.

Sarcastic / Sardonic / Ironic / Derisive / Taunting 

When the author expresses a negative feeling about something in an insulting way.

Cynical / Sceptical / Disbelieving 

When the author is doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile.

Critical / Fault-finding / Judgemental / Disapproving / Condemning / Censorious / Unfavourable 

When the author is expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements.

Critical 

Critical tone often describes a fault-finding attitude of the author; in a negative sense.

It may also indicate a deep analysis of an issue with an impartial outlook.

Example – 20% of the CAT will be from CATKing Basic Books

Critical Thought

How can you assure that it will just be 20%? Are you the paper setter? Cynical Thought: What about the rest 80%?

Nostalgic / Evocative 

Nostalgic tone conveys a sense of longing for the past. It can be good as well as a sad memory.

Example – I didn’t go to the moon, I went much further—for time is the longest distance between two places. (The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams)

Acerbic / Harsh / Severe / Bitter / Caustic / Vitriolic 

How might you express your dissatisfaction for something or somebody brutally? Here comes the part of the acerbic tone. The author uncovers his conflict with a hypothesis or may express his despise towards a man in an acerbic tone.

Angry / Indignant / Aggrieved 

This type of tone expresses the creator’s outrage towards the subject justifiedly. How would you justify your outrage towards any unfair system? You may do as such by a few arguments, giving real examples and illustrations with respect to the subject. So also, the author means to justify his outrage by expressing different reasons that are identified with the issue.

Suggestive / Indicative 

Tending to suggest an idea.

Apologetic  

As the name expresses, this sort of tone is used to express regret or blame in regards to the setbacks or tragedies that may have happened before.

Belligerent / Bellicose  

In which tone do you think two rival parties have a conversation with each other? As you would figure, they are forcefully unfriendly towards each other. This is when the author receives a belligerent tone of writing.

Biased / Slanted 

While favouring a certain thing/person/group over the other, we tend to utilise a one-sided tone to show our tendency towards it. Likewise, the author utilises a one-sided tone and displays contentions for a specific thing in that section..

Commiserating / Sympathetic 

This kind of tone is used to express pain or show sensitivity for a man or a gathering of individuals experiencing partial practices or social standards. The writer plans to familiarise the reader with the trauma experienced by the sufferers.

Condescending / Patronising 

A condescending tone suggests a mentality of patronising superiority of a specific thing / individual / gathering. As you would expect, such RC sections may show snobbish or contemptuous tones with respect to things considered inferior in the author’s point of view.

Dogmatic 

You should have some solid convictions and point of view with respect to specific parts of life. In what sort of tone will you talk about them? This is the place where one-sided tone becomes an integral factor. At the point when the writer is self-assured with respect to his sentiments, he utilises a fanatical tone to pass on his perspective.

Euphemistic / Polite 

How would you express your contradiction without being hostile or blunt? In such a case, metaphorical tone acts as the hero. RC sections in this sort of tone make use of indirect and implicit statements.

Grandiose 

As the name suggests, this type of tone is adopted by RCs written in a descriptive or abstract style. The passage may appear more elaborate than necessary. Also, sometimes abstract passages utilise a grandiose style of writing.

Introspective 

How would you talk about analysing your feelings or contemplate your actions? Well, an introspective tone is used in the passage so as to self-examine and reflect upon one’s actions and feelings.

Optimistic / Positive 

The author is hopeful and confident about the future.

Incendiary / provocative 

You may have come across some famous speeches by great orators and found their words moving or soul-blending. Well, that’s an incendiary tone. It’s the tone of speech which is also utilised by revolutionaries and politicians. In other words, a provocative tone is intended to affect individuals in a negative or positive course.

Laudatory / Praising 

How have you commended something or somebody you respected? That is the way that the commendatory tone sounds. Regularly, descriptive passages accept this sort of tone in order to talk about a specific subject alongside specific justification.

Populist 

As the name says, a populist tone is used to discuss theories and characteristics exhibited by the general populace. The author of the passage utilises a populist tone to explain the features and behaviour of common people.

Speculative 

The author is engaged in, expressing, or based on guess rather than knowledge.

Thoughtful / Pensive 

The author is engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.

Apprehensive 

The author is anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.

Some Exercises on Tones

Direction(1-5): Read the given short paragraph and identify the tone of the author in it.

Paragraph – 1

Literature, by instinct and in practice, is against the oppression of the single story. It is interested, not in dogma, but in textures and voices, chronicles and records that confound easy truths. By pushing us into zones of discomfort and disquiet, it allows us a clearer view of human life. In doing so, it also offers a powerful way to speak back to power.

How is the author’s tone in the above context?

• Dogmatic
• Didactic
• Acerbic
• Laudatory
• None of the above options

(Answer – B. Didactic

Solution: The author is serving to instruct, enlighten or inform.

Hence the tone is Didactic.)

Paragraph 2

On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort to mark India’s 75th Independence Day. Besides other big announcements, he emphasised the need to ensure “poshan” (nutrition) to the country’s women and children. PM Modi announced that, by 2024, rice provided to the poor under any government scheme — PDS, mid-day-meal, anganwadi — will be fortified.

How is the author’s tone in the above context?

• Judgemental
• Laudatory
• Narrative
• Populist
• None of the above options

(Answer – C. Narrative

Solution: The author here tries to describe the event.

He hasn’t expressed his own opinion.)

PM Modi announced that, by 2024, rice provided to the poor under any government scheme will be fortified. It is a bold decision. Leveraging science to attack the complex challenge of malnutrition, particularly for low-income and vulnerable sections of the society, who cannot afford balanced diversified diets, can be a good intervention.

How is the author’s tone in the above context?

• Indignant
• Optimistic
• Biased
• Evocative
• None of the above options

(Answer – B. Optimistic

Solution: The author is hopeful that leveraging science to attack the complex challenge of malnutrition can be a good intervention.)

The government has been stingy on cash payments presumably because its tax revenues are falling. Even the worst affected migrant workers have not got much cash support. Farmers too have suffered losses because of the fall in farm prices, especially perishables. The government did promise Rs 2,000 per farm family from the PM-KISAN scheme, but this is only a reiteration of an earlier commitment.

How is the author’s tone in the above context?

• Critical
• Dogmatic
• Grandiose
• Cynical
• None of the above options

(Answer – A. Critical

Solution: The author has been critical to the government and its decision.)

Like every path-breaking idea in history, the decision by the SC too will have its detractors. Fears of job-redundancies are not unfounded. But on the flipside, the size of the pie may grow, which in turn may create other job opportunities and a fertile environment for innovative businesses and professions to develop and thrive appurtenant to the legal field. Contrary to belief, automation might assist the legal profession become more equitable to lawyers across the country and create an equitable environment for litigants.

How is the author’s tone in the above statement?

• Derisive
• Optimistic
• Speculative
• Introspective
• None of the above options

(Answer – C. Speculative

Solution: The author repeatedly used ‘might’/’may’ in the entire paragraph. Hence, he is speculating.)

Paragraph 6

The problems farmers face are not only a result of vested, monopolistic interests, but are rooted in larger structural conditions that significantly weaken their terms of engagement in agricultural markets. The former may be addressed by regulatory intervention. But the latter will need location-specific policies, well-directed investment, and well-functioning agricultural institutions. It is hard to imagine how either can be achieved without a great deal of consensus, coordination and capacity in which the states will need to play a major role.

How is the author’s tone in the above context?

• Indignant
• Condemning
• Suggestive
• All of the above options
• None of A, B and C

(Answer – D. All of the above options

Solution: The author condemns the larger structural conditions.

The author expresses his anger/disgust in the last line.

The author suggests two things too.)

Direction(7-10): In the following questions, a sentence is given with a blank in it. You’ve to choose a word / the words that will contextually fit in that blank. The word(s) must be chosen by understanding the overall tone of the statement.

7. Are the mitigation efforts undertaken to slow the spread of COVID-19 worth the economic cost? The Indian economy is also expected to experience a significant slowdown in output growth if not an absolute decline for the year 2020. How do these economic costs _________ against the benefits of the mitigation efforts?

stack up

invalidate

pile up

• Both b and c
• Only a
• Both a and b
• Both a and c
• All a, b and c

(Answer – B. Only a

Solution: The author is questioning the justification of the mitigation efforts. stack up – to make sense or compare or to correspond to reality. invalidate – make or prove (an argument, statement, or theory) unsound or erroneous.

pile up – increase in quantity. It doesn’t make sense here.)

8. Even if a vaccine is developed before December, getting it to our large population will certainly take some time and this is a __________ concern that the government is grappling with.

grave

sedate

baronial

• Only b
• Only a
• Both b and c
• Both a and bE. All a, b and c

(Answer – D. Both a and b Solution: grave / sedate – serious.

baronial – impressive in appearance.

It’s a positive word.)

9. The state governments and the Indian Railways must realise that facilitating the movement of the migrants is not an act of _________, it is their duty and responsibility. 

obligation

charity

curtailment

• Only a
• Both b and c
• Only b
• Both a and bE. All a, b and c

(Answer – C. Only b

Solution: charity – the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need. obligation – duty or responsibility.

curtailment – reduction.

(It doesn’t make sense since there is a word – ‘facilitating’.)

10. In a health crisis that has turned India into a home ministry-managed police-state, the chief function of the government has been to ________ fear, not of the disease so much as of each other, especially of the poor and the minorities, despite clear evidence of COVID-19’s elite, international origins.

instil

alleviate

diminish

• Both b and c
• Only a
• Both a and bD. Only c
• E. All a, b and c

(Answer – B. Only a

Solution: instil – gradually but firmly establish (an idea or attitude) in a person’s mind. The author uses the preposition ‘despite’, hence ‘instil’ is the correct word. alleviate – to diminish.