An attitude question asks how a speaker feels, not only what they say. The skill is to name the feeling with a precise word and to back it with evidence from the text.
It belongs to vocabulary and inference, and it depends on the word-meaning skills in familiar words in new senses.
Where does attitude hide?
Attitude is carried by word choice. “The new menu is healthier” is neutral. “The new menu is supposedly healthier” shows doubt.
Tone comes from three places: the words chosen, the contrast with what you would normally expect, and what the speaker leaves out. Sarcasm is the most common trap, because the words sound positive while the meaning is negative.
How to name an attitude, step by step
- Summarise the facts in one plain sentence.
- Underline strong or unusual words, such as adjectives, adverbs and quote marks.
- Ask whether the words match the situation. Praise for a bad event suggests sarcasm.
- Choose an attitude word such as approving, doubtful, frustrated, amused or sarcastic.
- Support it with two short quotations from the text.
Worked example
“Yes, the canteen has a new menu. Quinoa salad, every day of the week. Nobody asked for it, but apparently we should all be grateful.”
Step 1, facts: the canteen has changed its menu to quinoa salad daily.
Step 2, strong words: “Nobody asked for it” and “apparently we should all be grateful”.
Step 3, match: “grateful” sounds positive, but the speaker says nobody asked for the change. The positive word is being used against the change.
Step 4, attitude word: sarcastic and dissatisfied.
Step 5, evidence: “Nobody asked for it” shows the change was unwelcome, and “apparently we should all be grateful” mocks the idea that students ought to be thankful.
Answer: the speaker is sarcastic about the new menu.
The mistake to watch for
Mistaken answer: “The speaker is grateful, because they say we should all be grateful.”
The student quoted a word without asking who is speaking and how. “Apparently” signals that the speaker is repeating someone else’s claim without agreeing with it. The correction is to read the word inside its phrase, and then test it against the facts: a speaker who says “nobody asked for it” is not delighted.
Check yourself
1. “Our team trained hard all term. A single loose pass cost us the final, but I am proud of every player.” What is the speaker’s attitude?
Show answer
Mainly proud and supportive, with a little disappointment. “Proud of every player” is direct evidence, and “a single loose pass cost us” shows the disappointment.
2. “The bus was only twenty minutes late, which is nearly on time for this route.” Is the speaker pleased?
Show answer
No, the attitude is ironic or resigned. Calling twenty minutes “nearly on time” and adding “for this route” suggests lateness is normal and the speaker is making a dry comment.
3. “I suppose the plan could work, though I would want to see the figures first.” Which two phrases show doubt?
Show answer
“I suppose” shows weak agreement, and “I would want to see the figures first” shows the speaker is not yet convinced. The attitude is cautious or doubtful.
Where this leads next
The next lesson, distinguishing fact from opinion in a short text, helps you see which statements carry attitude. Practise all five skills in the mixed practice set. For keeping a record of clues you missed, the mistake log and retest queue is useful.
Attitude is hard to check alone, because you cannot easily hear your own reasoning. A teacher in online one-to-one English as a Second Language tuition can ask why you chose each word.