What is the difference between tone and mood in a text?

• A. Tone is the reader’s emotion; mood is the author’s attitude.
• B. Tone is the reader’s emotion; mood is the author’s attitude.
• C. Tone and mood are the same.
• D. Tone is sentence length; mood is punctuation.

Answer: (A)

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject or audience, shown through word choice, sentence structure, and figurative language. Mood is the reader's emotional response as they experience the text, created by elements like setting, details, imagery, and pace. These two work together: a sarcastic tone can produce a skeptical or amused mood, while a somber tone can create sadness or gloom. For example, describing a rainy, deserted street with clipped, precise sentences can make the reader feel tense or eerie, whereas telling the same scene with warm, lyrical language might produce a mood of nostalgia or hope. The important distinction is who is expressing the attitude (the author) and who is feeling the emotion (the reader).