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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Tone words anchor chart

A free tone words anchor chart: what tone is, how it differs from mood, and lists of positive, neutral and negative tone words to use in writing about a text. For grades 5–8. Print it on one page, or on four pages to tape together as a poster.

Tone words

positivehopefulneutralseriousnegativegloomy

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject

You hear it in the words the author chooses.

Mood is different: mood is how the reader feels.

Positive tone words

cheerful · hopeful · playful · proud · admiring · calm · grateful · excited

Neutral tone words

serious · formal · direct · matter-of-fact · curious · thoughtful · informative

Negative tone words

angry · gloomy · bitter · worried · mocking · sarcastic · fearful · disappointed

Say it this way

The author's tone is … I can tell because of the words …

Free at teach.peabody.kids

How to use it

  • One page: print it for a notebook or a table, or project it while you teach.
  • A poster: print the four pages at 100% (the 10 cm bar on each page checks it). Each page after A1 says where it goes: trim its left and top edges at the marks, lay it over the page before at the ticks, and tape the back. It makes a poster about 15 by 20 inches.
  • Make it yours: build the chart with the class first and keep this one as your model, or add the class's own examples on sticky notes.

More anchor charts: Place valueFractionsMultiplication strategiesSolving a word problemThemeAuthor's purposeCharacter traitsMain idea and detailsPoint of viewCause and effectMaking inferencesCompare and contrastSummarizingRoundingArea and perimeter