The author's tone refers to the attitude or emotional quality expressed in their writing. It can be determined through word choice, sentence structure, and overall style. Tone can be formal, informal, sarcastic, optimistic, somber, playful, critical, or a range of other emotions and attitudes. Identifying the tone can help readers understand the author's intent and the underlying mood of the text.
If you have a specific text in mind, I can help analyze its tone further!