How to Set the Tone of an Essay? Why Is It Important for Your Grade?
An essay is a challenging and exciting task every student faces in college and university. The tone of an essay is an essential aspect. Every scholar should consider it during writing. An informal tone may spoil the impression of the academic piece, reduce its grade. No matter, what is the subject of your work, essay tone should be formal. Every author has to pick his tone carefully. He must follow some essential rules to avoid inappropriate words in his writing piece. Different tones create a specific atmosphere. A reader should feel the mood and attitude of the writer. In our article, you will learn more about various essay tones; find useful rules on hot to use effective tone in your papers.
Formal and Informal Tone.
There are plenty of tones the authors can apply: sarcastic, humorous or frustrated. A formal style is the most appropriate language a student can use in his papers. Choose the style according to your instructor’s demands. Avoid low results. Remember about your primary purpose and write the paper according to the provided requirements. It will show your serious attitude and prove that you have enough knowledge and skills to complete the assignment. Don’t use an informal style in your piece. It can spoil the impression of your piece. Elements like slang, colloquialisms or sentence fragments are inappropriate because these elements are great to a personal story not for the serious piece. Here are some examples of informal words and collocations: you know; like; super big; big deal; you, your, yours (second-person perspective).
Find the balance. Show serious attitude to the subject of your work and apply specific author’s elements that highlight natural tone and essential facts.
Let’s look at two examples of paper fragments related to the necessity of car seats for babies.
Version 1 (informal).
Let’s pretend that your husband drives the car. You keep your four-month-old daughter on your arms on the back seat. The situation seems comfy and cute. It is dangerous instead. Even if we don’t think about a car accident, the driver may brake hard and cause a massive shake inside the car. If you don’t have a car seat, such situation is a big deal for a baby and may cause serious traumas.
Version 2 (formal).
Car seats for babies are crucial to their safety. Parents should use this kind of baby essentials every time they get their son or daughter in the car. It helps to protect a baby. You may avoid plenty of dangerous situations that may occur while driving.
Version 1 would be appropriate for blog articles not for the formal papers. It includes incorrect elements, the improper tone of writing. Version 2 helps to convey the primary aim of writing and attract readers’ attention to a serious subject.
Don’t Be Too Formal.
During education, people have various assignments and writing tasks that require specific skills or have strict rules. The pieces can vary depending on its purpose; not all of them should sound too formal. Sometimes, you can choose and apply creative elements. Appropriate joke or interesting story can be a good option for a narrative of your descriptive essay. This tone will make your piece easy to read and exciting. The paper will grab the readers’ attention. It means that paper purpose and requirements matter for the tone and style. If you clearly understand them, you will make the right choice and pick a proper tone of an essay that won’t be too formal or boring for readers.
Here are a few useful tips. They will help you to avoid mistakes related to incorrect language and tone.
- Don’t use too long sentences; it worsens readability and overall impression of your piece. Use fewer words and be natural.
- Try to use verbs instead of compound nouns because it is a clear sign of stiffness, boring writing that can't excite.
- Avoid the verb “to be”. Prefer active verbs in your papers.
- Use conversational language that makes your story exciting and easy-to-read. Remember that informal style is inappropriate for academic papers. Write your essay like an interview not chatting with your friends.
How to Be Confident and Positive in Your Writing?
The primary aim of the majority of pieces is to grab the readers’ attention, give interesting facts about the subject and a story that make them read it to the end. We offer you the list of simple but efficient ways to improve your tone of an essay: make it confident, positive, and passionate.
- Avoid depressing and somber phrases. Even if your task is related to negative aspects, don’t forget to highlight some positive elements.
- Make confident statements without using Prefaces. Avoid such phrases as “I strongly believe” or “I think.” They don’t make your text confident and worsen your language.
- Prefer action verbs as many times as possible. Try to convey your readers how passionate you are about the subject of your work. Don’t use passive language and stiff phrases. Impressive essay tone means you, like an artist, show your audience the scene of your story. Active phrases help to express your feelings and emphasize the fundamental idea of your work.
- Show your role in the essay. A tone of writing depends on the author’s part and his actions. If you describe a personal experience or significant actions that influenced the final result, don’t forget to write about your role. It helps to add new elements to your piece. You may highlight the essential aspects.
Don’t Know How to Improve the Tone of your Essay?
Creating an essay and picking the proper tone is a tricky task. It is a problem for many students. If you have doubts about the tone of your paper, you may choose professional assistance. Give your work to experience writers and editors. Visit our site to explore the range of services and find more useful tips to write an essay about yourself.
We hope our pieces of advice will help you to improve your tone, find new opportunities to express your feelings properly and create engaging writing pieces in various niches.