Today you will explore how diction and tone change when we shift from one text type to another. A storyteller, a news reporter, a speech writer, and a social media user may all talk about the same topic but sound completely different. You will compare short samples from narratives, opinion editorials, letters, and posts, then explain how word choice and tone match each situation. By the end, you will be ready to adjust your own language to fit different audiences and purposes.
🎯 Learning Goals
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
- Differentiate diction and tone in at least four text types: narrative, informational, opinion editorial, and personal communication.
- Analyze short passages to explain how diction and tone reflect a text’s specific audience and purpose.
- Revise simple texts by adjusting diction and tone so they are appropriate to a chosen text type and reader.
🧩 Key Ideas & Terms
- Text type – A category of texts with a similar purpose and structure, such as narrative, informational, or argumentative.
- Narrative text – A text that tells a story, often with characters, setting, and plot.
- Informational text – A text that mainly aims to explain, describe, or present facts.
- Persuasive text – A text that tries to change readers’ opinions or actions, such as an editorial or speech.
- Personal communication – Messages like letters, emails, chats, or posts that share ideas or feelings with specific people.
- Objective tone – A tone that sounds neutral and fact-based, with little emotion or personal judgment.
- Subjective tone – A tone that clearly shows personal feelings, judgments, or opinions.
- Biased language – Diction that unfairly favors or attacks a person or group.
🔄 Quick Recall / Prior Knowledge
Review what you remember about diction and tone from Day 1 before applying them to other text types.
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In your own words, what is diction?
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Diction is the writer’s choice of words, including whether they are formal or informal, technical or everyday, positive or negative in feeling. -
In your own words, what is tone?
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Tone is the writer’s attitude toward the subject or audience, such as serious, humorous, hopeful, angry, or respectful. -
Name one way diction can signal tone in a text.
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Strong emotional or judgmental words (like “amazing,” “disgusting,” “cruel,” “inspiring”) can show whether the writer feels positive or negative about the topic. -
Why should an editorial writer avoid using insulting words for people or groups?
Show Answer
Insults attack people instead of ideas, can be unfair or harmful, and may cause readers to reject the message instead of considering it.
📖 Explore the Lesson
Checkpoint 1 – One Issue, Many Text Types
Mini-goal: Recognize how the same topic appears differently across text types.
Imagine one shared issue: the lack of shade in your school grounds. This topic can appear in many text types. A news report might say, “The school has only three large trees in the main quadrangle, leaving many learners exposed to direct sunlight during break time.” This sentence focuses on facts and numbers. A narrative might say, “Under the harsh noon sun, students crowded under the few trees, fighting for the smallest patch of shade.” Here, detailed description and emotion help readers imagine the scene.
An editorial might declare, “Our school urgently needs more shaded spaces to protect students’ health and improve learning conditions.” The diction “urgently” and “protect” signals a persuasive tone. A personal text like a group chat message could say, “Grabe, ang init sa quadrangle, parang oven! Can we suggest more trees?” This includes code-switching, slang, and an informal tone appropriate among friends.
Although the issue is the same, each text type has its own usual purpose and audience. This affects how formal the words are, how much emotion is shown, and whether the tone is neutral, descriptive, or strongly persuasive. Seeing these differences helps you read more closely and choose your own diction and tone more carefully when you write.
Real-life tie-in: Online, you may read a news article, a friend’s post, and a comment thread about the same event. Understanding text types helps you decide which texts simply inform you and which ones are trying to convince or influence you.
Mini-summary: The same issue can appear as news, story, editorial, or personal message. Each text type uses different diction and tone because each has a different audience and purpose.
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Why does a news report usually use more neutral and factual diction than an editorial?
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A news report aims to inform without taking sides, so it uses neutral words. An editorial aims to persuade and can use more emotional or evaluative diction. -
What makes chat messages and posts more informal than articles?
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They often include slang, emojis, code-switching, and incomplete sentences suitable for quick, personal communication. -
Give one reason why we should recognize what text type we are reading before judging its tone.
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Because expectations are different: we expect news to be neutral, stories to be descriptive, editorials to be persuasive, and personal texts to be more emotional or casual.
Checkpoint 2 – Diction and Tone in Narrative vs Editorial Texts
Mini-goal: Compare how storytelling and editorial writing use diction and tone.
A narrative mainly tells what happened. It uses diction that builds setting, characters, and mood. For example, “The classroom buzzed with restless whispers as the heat crawled across the floor.” This sentence does not directly argue for anything; it invites readers to feel the discomfort. Tone in narratives may be suspenseful, sad, joyful, or humorous, depending on the events and descriptions. Narratives often use imagery and figurative language to paint scenes in the reader’s mind.
An editorial, on the other hand, directly expresses a stand about an issue. It may still use descriptive diction, but its main goal is to convince readers. Compare: “The classroom is too hot and crowded, and learners cannot focus. The school should prioritize better ventilation and additional classrooms.” Here the diction moves from describing to proposing a solution. Tone tends to be serious, urgent, or critical, showing the writer’s clear judgment and call for action.
When reading, notice whether the text simply helps you experience a situation (narrative) or clearly asks you to agree or act (editorial). When writing, choose diction and tone that support your purpose. A narrative may show injustice through events; an editorial directly names that injustice and demands change.
Real-life tie-in: News sites sometimes publish personal stories beside editorials on the same issue. The story touches the heart through narrative; the editorial speaks to the mind by arguing a position. Together, they can be very powerful.
Mini-summary: Narratives focus on describing experiences with expressive diction and varied tones, while editorials focus on stating opinions with convincing diction and purposeful tone.
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How does a narrative usually show feelings about an issue?
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By describing events, actions, and scenes that allow readers to feel the emotions indirectly through characters and situations. -
How does an editorial usually show feelings about an issue?
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By clearly stating opinions, using evaluative words, and directly explaining why something is good, bad, fair, or unfair. -
Give one kind of tone that both narrative and editorial texts can share.
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Both can be serious, hopeful, angry, or concerned, but they express these tones in different ways.
Checkpoint 3 – Formal and Informal Diction in Personal Texts
Mini-goal: Distinguish between formal and informal diction when addressing different recipients.
Personal communication includes letters, emails, chats, and posts. Even within this group, diction and tone can change a lot depending on who receives the message. When you write to a close friend about a school event, you might say, “The program was super long but totally worth it!” This sentence uses informal diction (“super,” “totally”) and a lively tone that fits a friendly conversation.
If you write to your teacher or principal about the same event, you adjust your diction: “The program lasted longer than expected, but it was very meaningful for the students.” This version avoids slang and uses more formal words (“lasted,” “meaningful”). The tone is respectful and slightly more serious. Both messages are honest, but each matches a different relationship and level of formality.
Formal diction often uses complete sentences, avoids slang, and carefully chooses respectful expressions (“I would like to request…,” “May I ask if…”). Informal diction may shorten words, use emojis or abbreviations, and sound like spoken conversation. Recognizing when each is appropriate is part of becoming a responsible communicator, especially when your message will be read by many people or by someone in authority.
Real-life tie-in: Many misunderstandings happen online because someone uses a joking or very casual tone in a group where not everyone is close friends. Matching diction and tone to the audience helps prevent conflict and builds trust.
Mini-summary: Personal texts can be formal or informal. We adjust diction and tone depending on the relationship with the reader and the seriousness of the topic.
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Why is it risky to use very informal language when writing to a person in authority?
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They may feel disrespected or think you are not serious about your message, which can weaken your request or point. -
Give one example of a phrase you might use in a formal email but not in a chat with friends.
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Examples: “Good day, Ma’am/Sir,” “I would like to request,” “Thank you for your consideration.” -
Give one example of informal diction appropriate in a chat with a close friend.
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Examples: “lol,” “super happy,” “sobrang saya,” or using emojis to show feelings.
Checkpoint 4 – Diction and Tone in Social Media vs Academic Texts
Mini-goal: Compare language in quick online posts with language in more formal, school-based texts.
Social media posts are often short, fast, and emotional. A learner might post, “Online classes are killing me 😭” to express frustration. The diction is exaggerated and informal, and the tone is dramatic but not meant to be a careful analysis. Friends understand that this is a quick emotional reaction. In contrast, an academic text on the same topic might say, “Many students experience increased stress during online classes due to unstable internet connections and heavy screen time.” This sentence uses more precise diction and a calmer, more objective tone.
Both types of texts are part of modern communication, but they serve different roles. Posts and comments may help you release feelings or connect with peers, while academic texts help you examine issues with evidence and clear reasoning. When a social media screenshot is taken out of context, however, its tone can be misread by people who are not close to the writer. That is why it is important to think carefully before posting.
In school tasks, your teacher expects diction and tone closer to academic texts, even if the topic came from social media. This means avoiding insults, using complete sentences, and explaining reasons carefully. You can still show feeling, but you must also show control and respect.
Real-life tie-in: Universities and employers sometimes check public posts to see how a person communicates. Learning to manage diction and tone online protects your reputation and shows maturity.
Mini-summary: Social media language is quick and emotional, while academic texts are more precise and controlled. Being aware of context helps you choose appropriate diction and tone.
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Why might a dramatic post about school be misunderstood by someone who does not know you well?
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They may take your exaggeration literally or think you are rude or ungrateful, because they cannot see your facial expression or hear your voice. -
What is one advantage of using more academic diction in school tasks?
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It makes your ideas clearer, more respectful, and easier to accept as serious and thoughtful. -
Give one change you would make when turning a social media complaint into a short academic paragraph.
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Replace slang and emojis with clear words, add reasons or examples, and soften extreme expressions into more accurate descriptions.
Checkpoint 5 – Biased and Neutral Diction Across Texts
Mini-goal: Learn to spot biased and neutral diction in different text types.
Some texts, like informational articles or reports, aim to use neutral diction. Instead of saying, “The city council selfishly rejected the helpful proposal,” a neutral report might say, “The city council voted against the proposal after a two-hour discussion.” This second sentence tells what happened without adding judgmental words. Neutral diction is important when the writer wants to be fair to all sides or present facts for others to interpret.
Other texts, especially opinion pieces and commentaries, may use biased language to support a strong position. Words like “irresponsible,” “heartless,” or “heroic” clearly tell readers how to feel about the people or actions described. While some bias is expected in persuasive texts, responsible writers avoid unfair generalizations (“All students are lazy,” “All officials are corrupt”) and hateful labels.
As a reader, you should ask: Is this text trying to inform me, persuade me, or both? Which words show clear judgments? As a writer, you must decide how far your diction should go. Reasoned criticism can be strong without being unfair; neutral diction can present facts clearly without hiding important problems.
Real-life tie-in: Biased headlines and captions often spread quickly online because they provoke strong emotions. Knowing how to recognize loaded diction helps you evaluate information before reacting or sharing.
Mini-summary: Neutral diction presents facts with little judgment, while biased diction uses emotionally charged words to support a particular side. Recognizing both helps you read and write more responsibly.
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Which word in this sentence shows bias: “The selfish company refused to help the victims”?
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The word “selfish” shows bias because it directly labels the company’s character in a negative way. -
Change the biased sentence into a more neutral version.
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Sample: “The company decided not to provide assistance to the victims.” -
Why should you be careful when using biased diction in your own writing?
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Too much bias can seem unfair or disrespectful and may cause readers to distrust your argument.
Checkpoint 6 – Shifting Your Own Diction and Tone
Mini-goal: Practice adjusting your language when you switch text types.
Now that you have seen how diction and tone differ across text types, it is time to practice switching. Start with a simple opinion sentence such as, “Plastic use in school should be reduced.” For a narrative, you might show this idea indirectly: “At the end of recess, plastic wrappers floated like tiny boats across the flooded pathway.” The diction paints a picture and hints at the problem without directly commanding action.
For an editorial, you might say, “The school should reduce single-use plastic by requiring reusable containers and enforcing proper waste segregation.” Here, the diction (“should reduce,” “requiring,” “enforcing”) clearly pushes for change. For a personal chat with a classmate, you might say, “Let’s try bringing our own bottles so we don’t add to the pile of plastic.” The tone is friendly and cooperative.
Each version is correct because it fits a different context. As you write, ask yourself: Is this for storytelling, reporting, persuading, or chatting? Is my tone respectful and clear? Over time, you will develop flexibility—the ability to move from one style of diction and tone to another without losing your own voice.
Real-life tie-in: Future jobs will require you to write different texts: reports, messages, proposals, and posts. Practicing language shifts now will help you communicate effectively in many situations.
Mini-summary: You can express the same idea using different diction and tone depending on text type and audience. Planning these choices makes your writing more effective and suitable.
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Why is it useful to practice rewriting the same idea in different text types?
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It trains you to adapt your language to different audiences and purposes while keeping your main message clear. -
Which text type might need the most neutral diction: blog post, news report, or group chat? Why?
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A news report needs the most neutral diction because its main purpose is to inform fairly and accurately. -
Name one text type where a clearly emotional tone is often acceptable.
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Personal letters, some social media posts, and certain narratives often allow clearly emotional tones.
💡 Example in Action
- Example 1 – One Issue, Two Text Types
Topic: noisy classrooms.
Version A (narrative): “The class struggled to hear the teacher as laughter and shouts spilled from the hallway.”
Version B (editorial): “The school must enforce stricter hallway rules during class hours to reduce noise.”
Explain how diction and tone differ.Show Answer
Version A uses descriptive diction (“struggled,” “laughter and shouts spilled”) and a storytelling tone. Version B uses directive diction (“must enforce,” “stricter hallway rules”) and a persuasive, problem-solving tone. - Example 2 – Changing Formality
Informal message: “Hey, can we please fix the super slow Wi-Fi? It’s driving everyone crazy.”
Rewrite as a formal request to the school head.Show Answer
Sample: “Good day, Ma’am/Sir. We respectfully request an improvement in the school’s internet connection, as the current slow speed makes it difficult for students to complete online tasks.” - Example 3 – Neutral vs Biased Diction
Biased: “The lazy council ignored the youth’s proposals.”
Neutral: “The council did not approve the youth’s proposals.”
Identify the biased word and describe its effect.Show Answer
The word “lazy” is biased. It attacks the council’s character and pushes readers to judge them negatively, even without evidence. - Example 4 – Adjusting Tone for Social Media vs School Paper
Social media post: “Our science fair was actually awesome this year, props to the organizers!”
Rewrite in a tone suitable for the school paper.Show Answer
Sample: “This year’s science fair was a great success, and we commend the organizers for their hard work and creativity.” - Example 5 – Spotting Tone in a Short Text
Sentence: “If we continue to ignore waste segregation, we will soon be buried in our own garbage.”
What is the tone and how do you know?Show Answer
The tone is warning and urgent. The phrase “continue to ignore” shows disapproval, and “buried in our own garbage” is a strong image that suggests a serious consequence.
📝 Try It Out
Do these activities in your notebook. Then use the suggested answers to reflect and revise.
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Choose one school-related issue (e.g., late coming, noisy canteen). Write a one-sentence news-style description of the situation using neutral diction.
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Sample: “Many students arrive after the first bell, causing late attendance in several morning classes.” -
Turn your sentence from item 1 into a one-sentence editorial stand with more persuasive diction.
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Sample: “The school must address the growing problem of late arrivals to protect valuable learning time.” -
Write a short narrative sentence that hints at the same issue indirectly.
Show Answer
Sample: “As the second bell rang, students hurried into the room, cheeks flushed from running down the hallway.” -
Compose an informal chat message to a friend about the same issue.
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Sample: “Ang dami pa ring late sa morning, nakakagulo tuloy yung start ng class 😅.” -
For each of your four sentences, underline two words that strongly shape the tone.
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Answers vary; look for words like “growing problem,” “protect,” “hurried,” or emojis and slang in the chat example. -
Take this sentence: “The project was okay.” Rewrite it with a more excited tone and then with a more disappointed tone.
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Excited: “The project turned out amazing; everyone worked so hard!” Disappointed: “The project was disappointing and did not reach its full potential.” -
List three examples of formal diction and three examples of informal diction you have used recently.
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Formal examples: “request,” “submit,” “inform.” Informal examples: “chill,” “super fun,” “lol.” -
Rewrite this biased sentence in a more neutral way: “The useless meeting wasted everyone’s time.”
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Sample: “The meeting did not achieve its planned goals and took longer than expected.” -
Imagine you are writing an email to ask your teacher for an extension on a project. Draft two polite sentences.
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Sample: “Good day, Ma’am/Sir. I would like to request a short extension for our project deadline because of recent internet problems at home.” -
In two or three sentences, describe one thing you find easy and one thing you find challenging about adjusting your tone in writing.
Show Answer
Answers will vary. Encourage honest reflection on habits (e.g., often sounding too casual, too emotional, or too stiff) and goals for improvement.
✅ Check Yourself
Answer the items, then check your responses using the suggested answers.
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(Multiple Choice) Which text type usually aims to present facts with neutral diction?
a. Narrative
b. News report
c. Personal chat
d. Opinion editorialShow Answer
Correct answer: b. News report. -
(Multiple Choice) Which feature is most typical of an editorial’s diction?
a. Many sound effects
b. Strong persuasive verbs and evaluative words
c. Only technical vocabulary
d. Random emojisShow Answer
Correct answer: b. Strong persuasive verbs and evaluative words. -
(True/False) Social media posts are always informal and can never use formal diction.
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False. Many posts are informal, but some (such as announcements or official statements) use formal diction. -
(True/False) Using biased language always makes a text more trustworthy.
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False. Heavy bias often makes a text less trustworthy because it can be unfair or exaggerated. -
(Short Answer) What is one main difference between narrative tone and editorial tone?
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Narrative tone often focuses on mood and feeling in a story, while editorial tone clearly shows a stand and tries to persuade readers about an issue. -
(Multiple Choice) Which sentence best shows a formal tone suitable for a letter to the principal?
a. “Hey, the canteen food is super bad.”
b. “The food is kind of yucky, to be honest.”
c. “We respectfully request improvements in the quality and variety of canteen food.”
d. “Canteen food = big problem 😩”Show Answer
Correct answer: c. “We respectfully request improvements in the quality and variety of canteen food.”. -
(Short Answer) Give one example of a phrase that signals a respectful tone.
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Examples: “with due respect,” “we respectfully ask,” “may I request,” “thank you for considering this suggestion.” -
(Short Answer) Why is it important to consider audience when choosing diction?
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Different audiences expect different levels of formality and style. Considering audience helps your message be understood and accepted. -
(Multiple Choice) Which text most likely uses objective tone?
a. A diary entry about a bad day
b. A campaign speech
c. A science textbook explanation
d. A funny memeShow Answer
Correct answer: c. A science textbook explanation. -
(True/False) It is possible for two texts about the same issue to have opposite tones.
Show Answer
True. One text might be hopeful while another is hopeless, depending on the writer’s attitude. -
(Short Answer) What does “text type” mean?
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It is a category of texts with similar purpose and structure, such as narrative, informational, persuasive, or personal communication. -
(Short Answer) Give one reason why you should avoid posting extremely angry messages online when you are upset.
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They can be misunderstood, shared widely, and may damage relationships or your reputation, even after you calm down. -
(Multiple Choice) Which combination best matches a personal chat with a close friend?
a. Very formal diction, serious tone
b. Slightly informal diction, relaxed tone
c. Only technical terms, neutral tone
d. No emotion, only numbersShow Answer
Correct answer: b. Slightly informal diction, relaxed tone. -
(Short Answer) How can you quickly check the tone of your own writing before submitting it?
Show Answer
Read it aloud to yourself, imagine you are the audience, and ask, “How would I feel if I received this message?” -
(Reflection Check) Which text type do you find easiest to write in, and which text type do you want to practice more when it comes to diction and tone?
Show Answer
Answers will vary. Learners should name specific text types (e.g., chat messages, editorials, letters) and set a simple goal for improving their flexibility.
🚀 Go Further (optional)
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Text-Type Transformation – Take one short paragraph from a news article and rewrite it as a short editorial paragraph on the same issue.
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Teacher guidance: Ask learners to highlight added opinion words and changes in tone. Discuss whether the editorial version remains fair and respectful. -
Diary vs Editorial – Write a diary-style paragraph about a school concern, then rewrite it as a paragraph for the school paper.
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Teacher guidance: Compare how personal feelings in the diary are reshaped into more controlled diction and tone in the editorial version. -
Social Media Clean-Up – Imagine you are an editor for a school social media page. Choose three “sample posts” (teacher-made) and revise them to be more appropriate in diction and tone.
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Teacher guidance: Emphasize avoiding insults, keeping messages clear and respectful, and matching the school’s public image. -
Mini Corpus Study – Collect short sentences from at least three different text types and classify them by tone (e.g., hopeful, critical, neutral).
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Teacher guidance: Have groups display their findings in charts. Use this to introduce more advanced concepts like frequency of certain words in specific text types. -
Role-Play Tone – In pairs, read the same sentence aloud in different tones (serious, joking, angry, hopeful) and discuss how word choice might change to match each tone in writing.
Show Answer
Teacher guidance: Help learners connect voice performance to written signals of tone, such as adverbs, adjectives, and punctuation.
🔗 My Reflection
Notebook prompt:
Choose one text type (e.g., editorial, narrative, letter, social media post). In a short paragraph, describe how you plan to improve your diction and tone when you write that kind of text in the future.
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