Grammar fix

tone down

make something less extreme or forceful (e.g. language, behaviour, appearance)

To make something less strong, less forceful, or less noticeable, especially to avoid offending people or to suit a situation.

phrasal verbC1occasional

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

He had to tone down his criticism so he wouldn't offend anyone at the meeting.communication
In my opinion, politicians should tone down their language during debates to encourage more respectful discussions.IELTS speaking

Pattern: tone down + noun / tone something down

WrongCan you tone down it?

RightCan you tone it down?

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'tone it down'.

Patterntone down + noun / tone something down

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff You should moderate the forcefulness of your language.

Natural You might want to tone down the language a bit.

'Tone down' is the everyday verb for softening something; 'moderate the forcefulness' is formal.

Words that usually travel with it.

Unlike the literal use of 'tone' (as in sound), this sense is figurative and refers to reducing the intensity or impact of something, not its volume.