Practice with TONE and DICTION  Wednesday 9 January 2013
Name:
Target: You will re-word statements to use specific diction that communicates a precise tone; you will explain how
different tones can impart different meaning to the same line of text.
STEP ONE:
Get a literature book and read pages 324 and 325. After you read, answer these three questions:
1. How do people usually communicate an attitude or tone when they communicate (in person)?
2. What does the word “diction” mean and how can it influence tone?
2. When we read a poem or story, why might it be difficult to interpret the tone?
STEP TWO: In the table below, you read some rather boring, basic statements. Look on my website at the tone
vocabulary words and pick a different tone for each statement. Then, rewrite the statement with “new diction” that
helps to communicate the tone you’ve chosen...you cannot use the tone word! Show it, don’t tell it!
Boring Sentence
What tone will you add?
“New diction” to show the tone:
Example:
The sun came up.
Example:
The door opened.
I sat by the fire.
The house was empty.
The dog barked.
I jumped into the water.
She grabbed my hand.
defiant
relieved
Tearing its way through the dark clouds and laughing
away the dark night, the sun reclaimed the day.
When the door opened, I finally breathed. At last: he
was safely home—at last!
STEP THREE: Turn to page 326 of the literature book. There, you will read the poem “Dear Mrs. McKinney of the Sixth
Grade” by David Kheridan. In the space below, answer questions #1 and #2 from page 327.
#1
#2
STEP FOUR: The poem “Dear Mrs. McKinney of the Sixth Grade” could very easily be read in some very different tones of
voice. The tone of voice you hear when you read this poem totally changes the meaning of the poem. In the chart below
are a few selected lines from the poem. Next to each line are places to write two different tones. Select two very
different tones with which that line could have been read. Then, in a sentence, explain how the different tone would
imply a different meaning. Refer to the example for help.
Original line(s)
your stern, austere face, that
held an objective judgment of everything
in charge;
Hands down, you were my favorite
teacher at Garfield elementary
embarrassed us because
we had only failed ourselves,
for we had wisely learned from you
the need for discipline and regard.
I loved you, I really did, and I
wish now that in stopping and chatting
with you for a moment I could have
shown it down you then,
Potential tones
reminiscing
mocking
Idea or meaning conveyed through this tone…
This tone would imply that the speaker was thinking back fondly
about his teacher.
This tone would be making fun of how strict the teacher was, and
would come across sarcastic and insincere.