Irony - Understanding the Different Types

What is the term that describes the use of a word or phrase to mean something different from what it literally means?

A. Verbal irony

B. Dramatic irony

C. Indecent irony

D. Situational irony

Answer:

A. Verbal irony

Explanation:

You already know that irony is when events or words appear to be the opposite of reality. There are three main types of irony: verbal, dramatic, and situational. To answer this question, let's understand what each type of irony means.

Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something is going to happen, but the characters of the movie or a book don't know. Because of this, the actions of the characters are not what they should be. For example - In "Beauty and the Beast," the audience knows that the Beast is a prince living under a curse from the start, but Belle is unaware of the Beast's true identity. Based on this definition, we understand it is not the correct option.

Situational irony occurs when we expect something to happen, but instead, something opposite to our expectations happens. Situational irony generally includes sharp contrasts and contradictions. Based on this definition, we understand it is not the correct option.

Verbal irony is when the words express one meaning, but the literal meaning of them is the opposite. Verbal irony is often sarcastic. For example - On the way to work, John's car got a flat tire and John says, "Excellent! This is a so good morning!" Based on this definition, we understand it is the correct option.

So, option A is correct. I hope it helped :)