What is tone in writing?

Tone is how your writing “sounds” — the attitude it takes towards its subject and reader. The same idea can be playful, serious, angry or reassuring depending on the words you choose and how you build your sentences. A persuasive essay might be urgent; a reflective narrative, calm and thoughtful.

Good writers match tone to purpose and hold it steady. A tone that lurches from formal to chatty and back tells a marker you aren't in control of your voice.