Which choice best describes tone?

• A. The feelings the author creates in the reader.
• B. The words the author uses to convey mood.
• C. The setting described in the text.
• D. The author's attitude toward the subject.

Answer: (D)

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject as shown in the writing. It comes through in the choices the author makes—diction, sentence structure, and details—that reveal how they feel about what they're describing. The option that describes tone this way—as the author's attitude toward the subject—is the best fit. The other ideas describe mood (the feelings the reader experiences) or setting (the time and place), which relate to tone but are not what tone itself is. For example, a sarcastic tone signals a critical attitude toward the subject, even if the reader might feel amused or uneasy.