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Author Tone & Voice
Many CARS questions ask how the author feels, not just what the author says. You will learn to read attitude words, separate the author from the people being quoted, weigh hedges against emphatic language, and spot sarcasm and irony.
Study this chapter in PrepMed (free)
What this chapter covers
- Attitude Words & the Tone Vocabulary. Tone questions are answered by word choice: find the loaded words, then match their strength and direction.
- Author's Voice vs. Cited Views. Passages are full of other people's opinions; the trap is answering with a view the author only reports.
- Hedging & Emphatic Language. How sure the author sounds is a clue: hedges limit what a claim allows, and emphatic words raise the bar for wrong answers.
- Sarcasm, Irony & Overall Tone. When praise sounds too good to be true, or a sentence says the opposite of what the facts show, suspect sarcasm.
Key points to know
- Tone = author's attitude shown through word choice
- Track both direction (positive/negative) and strength
- Decide who is speaking before judging what a sentence shows
- Reporting phrases introduce views that may not be the author's
- Hedges (may, suggests, tends to) limit what a claim allows
- Emphatic words (clearly, never, must) mark strong claims
- Sarcasm says the opposite to criticize; look for a mismatch with facts
- Irony is a gap between expectation and reality
Try a practice question
The author's attitude toward the restorers is best described as
- guarded skepticism
- admiration
- detached curiosity
- wistful regret
Show the answer
B. 'Heroic', 'patient', 'luminous', and 'astonishingly intact' are all strongly positive evaluative words. The author sides against the critics who predicted disaster, so skepticism and detachment do not fit.
Common questions
What does this chapter cover?
Author Tone & Voice covers Attitude Words & the Tone Vocabulary, Author's Voice vs. Cited Views, Hedging & Emphatic Language, Sarcasm, Irony & Overall Tone.
What should I know first?
Tone = author's attitude shown through word choice Track both direction (positive/negative) and strength Decide who is speaking before judging what a sentence shows
20 original practice questions accompany this chapter in the app. Spaced review brings missed ideas back at the right time; it helps memory but cannot promise you will not miss an idea again.