Diction is a writer’s or speaker’s choice of words. A single choice can change how a sentence feels. Across a passage, those choices can make the voice sound conversational, technical, playful, or formal.
How diction shapes tone
Compare The room felt cramped with The room felt cozy. Both can describe a small room. Cramped suggests a lack of space, while cozy suggests comfort. These associations help create tone, the attitude readers hear in the writing.
How diction fits the audience
Start the test works in everyday instructions. Initiate the diagnostic sequence may suit a technical procedure if the sequence has a specific meaning for its readers. The choice depends on what the audience needs and which register fits the situation.
To review a passage’s diction, circle words that carry an attitude or a specialist meaning. See word choice for a sentence-level editing approach.
