A writer’s attitude shows in the words and details the writer picks. Accept a tone word only when two details in the text support it, and pick a milder word when the support is thin.
This is the last lesson in extended reading. It builds on distinguishing fact, opinion and inference, because an attitude is an inference about the writer.
How do you test a tone word?
Write your chosen word. Then write the two details from the text that support it. If you can find only one, or a detail could mean something else, switch to a milder word.
Worked example: the bicycle repairer
This is an original passage.
Encik Halim has repaired bicycles at the same stall for thirty years. He still charges the same small sum he did in 2005. “People can buy new ones cheaply now,” he says with a shrug, “but mine will still be running when theirs are in the bin.”
Candidate word: proud and confident. Detail 1: “mine will still be running when theirs are in the bin” shows he trusts his work.
Detail 2: he has kept the stall for thirty years. Two details support it. Accept.
Candidate word: bitter. The shrug suggests he accepts the change calmly. Nothing in the passage shows resentment, anger or complaint.
“Cheaply” might hint at disapproval, but that is one weak detail. Reject it, and choose calm and quietly confident.
The mistake: reaching for a strong word
The passage says cheap new bicycles compete with his work, so a student assumes he must resent it. “Bitter” sounds dramatic, so it feels like a good exam answer.
| Word | Support in the text | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter | none direct; “shrug” points against it | Over-interpreted |
| Resentful | one weak hint | Not enough |
| Quietly confident | two details | Supported |
The fix is to check what your reason describes. If the reason is “he is in a difficult situation”, it describes the situation, not his feelings.
Check yourself
The committee secretary wrote, “The meeting started at 8 pm and ended at 9.30 pm. Three proposals were discussed. All were approved.” There were no other comments.
What is the writer’s attitude? Choose from objective, enthusiastic or critical, and give your evidence.
Answer
Objective. Evidence: the passage gives times and the number of proposals without adjectives, and it states the result without praise or complaint.
“Enthusiastic” would need exclamations or positive words. “Critical” would need a negative word or complaint. Neither appears.
What to study next
Naming the attitude is half the task, because you must also explain it in writing. Read explaining the evidence for a writer-attitude inference next, then try the claim, evidence and explanation revision desk.
Use the extended reading practice set to test all four skills. If you want a teacher to read with you, see online one-to-one English tuition.