Reinforced　concrete　shear　walls　may　exhibit　various　failure　modes　when　subjected　to　combined　axial　tensionflexure-shear　loads.　This　study　developed　a　theoretical　method　for　predicting　the　failure　mode　of　RC　walls　subjected　to　combined　axial　tension　and　cyclic　lateral　loads,　in　which　the　force-displacement　response　curve　was　compared　to　the　predicted　flexural,　shear　and　sliding　strength　capacity　curves.　The　formulas　for　calculating　the　axial　elongation　and　horizontal　crack　widths　of　tensile　RC　walls　were　proposed,　and　the　influence　of　these　two　aspects　was　fully　considered　in　the　estimation　of　shear　strength　and　sliding　strength　degradation.　The　proposed　method　was　validated　against　test　data　of　ten　RC　wall　specimens　which　underwent　various　failure　modes,　including　flexural,　shear,　sliding,　flexural-sliding,　and　shear-sliding　failure　modes.　Comparisons　between　experimental　and　theoretical　results　indicated　that　the　proposed　method　predicted　the　failure　modes　and　lateral　strength　with　acceptable　accuracy.　As　the　proposed　method　accurately　estimated　the　shear　and　sliding　strength　degradation,　it　provided　the　insights　on　the　shifting　of　dominated　behaviors　(e.g.,　flexural-　or　shear-dominated　behavior　to　sliding-dominated　behavior).　Finally,　strength　design　formulas　specified　in　Chinese,　US　and　European　codes　were　verified　against　test　data.　The　flexural　strength　of　RC　walls　was　reasonably　estimated　by　the　JGJ　3-2010　(Chinese　code),　ACI　318-19　(US　code)　and　Eurocode　8　(European　code)　design　formulas.　Among　the　three　codes,　JGJ　3-2010　provided　a　more　reasonable　estimate　on　shear　strength　of　tensile　RC　walls　than　the　other　two　codes.