Final answer:
To understand the tone for reading dialogue, look for specific descriptive words, dialogue cues, and the author's diction, as these elements offer insights into the tone you should adopt. Reading the dialogue out loud can help in fine-tuning the tone to match the author's intent and ultimately enhance audience engagement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Words that help you understand the tone you should use when reading dialogue include descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, along with any specific directional words an author may use. For instance, if a character "sneers" or says something "wistfully," those particular word choices give strong indications of both the emotional context and how the speaker's voice might sound. An author's use of diction, or word choice, can convey a specific tone, which in turn informs how a reader should interpret and voice a dialogue.
The dialogue itself is a critical component in establishing tone within a text. It reflects the relationships between characters and influences the tone of voice, word choice, and the details shared. Whether a dialogue is sarcastic, inquisitive, or formal can also help you understand the proper tone to use when reading it out loud.
To get a better sense of tone and ensure you're using the correct one, you can read your piece out loud. This practice allows you to detect places where the tone might need shifting to better connect with and interest your audience.