Maintain consistent tone across sentences and paragraphs.
Keep the passage's tone steady instead of suddenly sounding more dramatic or casual.
Core Idea
Once a passage establishes a tone, revisions should support it rather than suddenly changing the emotional temperature.
Understanding
Rule: Tone can be analytical, reflective, skeptical, enthusiastic, or something else, but it should not jump without a reason. ACT often places one answer choice that sounds much more dramatic, sarcastic, or playful than the surrounding lines.
Choose the revision that blends with the passage’s existing attitude. The best answer should feel steady from sentence to sentence.
Step by Step
- Identify the tone already established by the passage.
- Choose wording that stays aligned with that tone from sentence to sentence.
- Reject choices that sound sensational, sarcastic, or playful when the passage is calm and analytical.
Misconceptions
- A stronger word is not automatically better if it shifts the passage into a different tone.
- Tone consistency matters even in short paragraphs, not just in full essays.
Worked Example
The paragraph discusses a city plan in a calm, analytical tone. The proposal would change traffic patterns downtown. Which choice best replaces the underlined text?
Select an answer to see the explanation