Objective Tone: Formal Writing

• Objective tone is writing that is impersonal and devoid of the writer's or speaker's opinions and feelings.
• It is preferred in formal and professional writing.

Formal vs. Objective Tone

• Formal tone follows the conventions of professional writing or speaking.
• Objective tone is a component of a formal tone.
• Using an objective tone helps to create a formal tone.
• Conveying a formal, objective tone gives one credibility and presents as authoritative, especially when addressing opposing viewpoints.

Components of a Formal, Objective Tone

Language and Word Choice

• Tailor language and word choices to the situation, using precise language.
• Avoid imprecise words and phrases like "kind of," "sort of," "maybe," and "pretty much."
• Avoid slang words and contractions.
• Language should be factual, specific, and decisive.

Point of View/Perspective

• Point of view communicates information from an angle or perspective.
• First person uses pronouns I, me, my, you, yours, we, us, and ours, and sounds personal.
• Third person has no identifiable storyteller or speaker and its pronouns are he, she, they, them, and their.
• To convey a formal, objective tone, use the third person point of view.

Passive Voice

• Examine the verbs or action words to determine whether a sentence is in the active or passive voice.
• Active voice is when the subject of the sentence is doing or receiving the action.
• Passive voice is when the action is being done by something or someone other than the subject.
• In formal writing, the passive voice is preferred.

Importance of Objective Tone

• Using an objective tone creates an impression and presents a professional, scholarly impression.
• It is important to sound authoritative and knowledgeable in certain situations.

Real-World Examples

• A research paper or other essay for school
• A speech for a charity fundraiser
• A company-wide email
• A cover letter for a job application