ACT: Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone, List 11

On the ACT Reading Test, you will almost certainly encounter questions that ask about an author's tone — that is, the author's attitude toward their subject matter. Master our comprehensive collection of common words used to describe an author's tone, and you'll be well prepared to tackle these questions.
13 words 22 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. persuasive
    intended or having the power to induce action or belief
    Carla uses all her persuasive powers trying to convince me not to leave home. Everything, Everything
  2. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    I was full of self-pity and I was angry and petulant. The Guardian (Oct 9, 2016)
  3. humorous
    characterized by the power to cause laughter
    To “get” a joke or humorous situation, you need to be able to see the lighter side of things. Washington Post (Dec 3, 2020)
  4. placid
    not easily irritated
    He’s a big, placid figure brought up to respect authority in all its forms, who finds himself as a close-quarters witness to some of the darkest moments in 20th-century South Korean history. The Guardian (May 22, 2020)
  5. playful
    full of fun and high spirits
    The tone is playful, but the subject matter is profoundly serious. Los Angeles Times (Dec 10, 2020)
  6. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
    “I try to be reasonable, rational, and pragmatic.” Washington Times (Oct 31, 2020)
  7. provocative
    serving or tending to excite or stimulate
    Still, while “Assassins” may be somewhat unsatisfying as a true-crime story, it’s provocative as an examination of power. Los Angeles Times (Dec 11, 2020)
  8. quarrelsome
    given to arguing
    A battle raged between two titans: the professor Booker T. Washington and the brilliant, mercurial, and quarrelsome W. E. B. Du Bois. The Best of Enemies
  9. quizzical
    perplexed
    "And how will the public like that?" inquires Charlie anxiously with his puzzled, quizzical little frown. Los Angeles Times (Jan 26, 2018)
  10. rancorous
    showing deep-seated resentment
    The revised pact took over a year of rancorous talks to complete, resulting in a complex 2,082-page agreement covering a wide range of topics. New York Times (Dec 1, 2019)
  11. righteous
    morally justified
    Wasn’t that the whole point of them, to be good and innocent and righteous? Pet
  12. sarcastic
    expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds
    They are sarcastic, my lot, calling a runty little chap like me Big Fellow, but there you are. Norse Mythology
  13. satirical
    exposing human folly to ridicule
    He was a master of the dark satirical short story. New York Times (Nov 10, 2020)
Created on Mon Jun 09 15:08:12 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Jun 09 15:08:54 EDT 2025)

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