Year 8 · English · Literacy
Tone and audience in persuasive texts
Identify the tone of a persuasive text and explain how writers use tone, word choice and technique to position a target audience.
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Learning goals
Learners will
- Identify the tone of a persuasive text using precise tone words.
- Explain how word choice creates tone and positions an audience.
Success looks like
- I can name the tone of a text with a precise word such as 'urgent', 'sarcastic' or 'reasonable'.
- I can identify the target audience of a text from clues.
- I can explain how a writer wants the audience to think or feel.
The big idea
Tone is the writer's attitude, the 'voice' you hear when reading. The same idea can be expressed in very different tones: 'Council has decided to close the pool' (neutral) versus 'Once again, council has slammed the door on local families' (angry, critical).
Tone comes mainly from word choice and its connotations. 'Slender', 'skinny' and 'scrawny' all mean thin, but carry positive, neutral and negative feelings.
Build a bank of precise tone words: urgent, passionate, reasonable, sarcastic, outraged, sympathetic, optimistic, concerned, dismissive, authoritative. Avoid vague words like 'happy' or 'sad'.
Writers adjust tone to suit their target audience. A letter to a council may use a reasonable, authoritative tone to seem credible, while a fundraising flyer may use a sympathetic, urgent tone to prompt donations.
When analysing, use the phrase 'positions the reader to' – for example, 'The sarcastic tone positions readers to see the council's decision as foolish.'
Worked examples
Naming and explaining tone
Original text: 'Brilliant. Another year, another 'consultation' that consulted precisely no-one who actually uses the skate park.' Identify the tone and explain it.
- Look at word choice: 'Brilliant' clearly is not meant sincerely.
- Notice the quotation marks around 'consultation', suggesting it was not a real consultation.
- 'Precisely no-one' exaggerates for effect.
- Name the tone: sarcastic and critical.
- Explain the positioning: readers are led to view the process as a sham.
Answer: The tone is sarcastic: 'Brilliant' is used ironically and the quotation marks around 'consultation' mock the process, positioning readers to see the council as dismissive of skaters.
Identifying the target audience
Original text: 'As parents, you know the feeling – the late-night worry when your teenager isn't home yet. SafeRide gives you peace of mind.' Who is the target audience and how do you know?
- Look for direct address: 'As parents, you know…'.
- Note the shared experience: worrying about a teenager at night.
- The tone is sympathetic and reassuring.
Answer: The target audience is parents of teenagers; the writer addresses them directly and uses a sympathetic tone that reflects their worries, positioning them to see the service as a solution.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which word has the most negative connotation?
Arrogant — 'Arrogant' suggests excessive, unpleasant pride.
'We must act today – every hour of delay puts lives at risk.' The tone is best described as…
Urgent — Words like 'must', 'today' and 'every hour' create urgency.
What does 'positions the reader' mean?
Leads the reader towards a particular view — Writers position readers to think or feel a certain way.
Which tone would best suit a letter to a government department requesting funding?
Reasonable and respectful — A reasonable tone makes the writer appear credible to officials.
'Kids today: glued to screens, allergic to fresh air.' The tone towards young people is…
Critical — 'Glued' and 'allergic to fresh air' mock young people.
What do we call the feelings and associations a word carries? (one word)
Connotation — Connotations go beyond the dictionary meaning.
What is the writer's attitude towards the subject called? (one word)
Tone — Tone is the attitude shown through word choice.
Saying the opposite of what you mean in order to mock is called… (one word)
Sarcasm — Sarcasm uses ironic praise to criticise.
Watch out for
- Confusing tone with mood. Tone is the writer's attitude; mood is the feeling created in the reader.
- Using vague tone words such as 'good' or 'angry' for everything. Precision earns credit.
- Assuming a text has only one tone. Tone can shift, for example from concerned to hopeful in a conclusion.
Tips for parents
- Read the same sentence aloud in three different tones and ask your learner to name each.
- Discuss the tone of a television news story compared with a social media comment about the same event.
- Encourage the habit of asking, 'Who is this written for?' with any text you meet.
Go further
- Rewrite one persuasive paragraph for two different audiences (for example, primary students and retirees) and annotate the tone changes.
- Create a 'tone ladder' ranking ten words from most positive to most negative connotation.
- Analyse two letters to the editor on the same issue and compare their tones.