How do authors typically influence a text's tone?

Authors influence a text's tone primarily through their word choice and sentence structure. The specific words an author selects can carry strong connotations and evoke particular emotions, which directly affect how the reader perceives the mood of the text. For instance, using vibrant, descriptive language can create an uplifting or lively tone, while stark, simple language might produce a more somber or serious tone.

Sentence structure also plays a critical role; short, choppy sentences can create a sense of urgency or tension, whereas longer, more complex sentences often impart a more reflective or leisurely tone. By skillfully combining these elements, authors can effectively establish and alter the tone throughout a piece of writing, guiding readers' emotional experiences and reactions to the narrative.

Other options, while they may have some impact on the overall experience of the text, do not affect tone as directly as word choice and sentence structure do. For example, varying the pace of the narrative might create suspense or excitement but does not inherently change the tone itself. Introducing different characters or alternating narrative perspectives can add depth to a story, yet these elements primarily serve to develop plot or character rather than establish tone.