1 Janelle ran the half-block from the subway station to the office. Thank you very much, subway, Janelle thought. Thanks for picking today, of all days, to get stuck for twenty-six minutes. That was very considerate of you. Thanks for picking the very day we have a new supervisor coming to work, someone I really want to impress. 2 She had risen before daylight that morning, planning to arrive to work even earlier than usual. She had planned to be at her desk, already hard at work, when the new supervisor arrived for the day. And now here she was, prompt, predictable Janelle, running late for the first time in her life. 3 Janelle entered the building and hurried to the elevator. A small crowd stood waiting for it. No, she decided; too slow. She would take the stairs, all sixteen floors of them. There was no time to waste. 4 By the time Janelle reached her floor, she was out of breath. She sprinted to her desk and threw herself into her chair. 5 Her coworker Mark leaned over from the next desk. 6 “Hi, Janelle,” he said. “Everything okay? I’ve never known you to be even a minute late.” 7 “I’m fine,” she said, busying herself with her computer. “Has the new supervisor come around yet?” 8 “The new supervisor?” Mark asked. “You mean the one starting next Monday?” 9 “Next Monday?” asked Janelle. “You mean, a week from today?” 10 “Yes,” said Mark. “It’s right here on the calendar.” He peered at Janelle. “You didn’t think it was today, did you?” 11 “Oh, no,” said Janelle. “Of course not. I would never make such a silly mistake.”

Question

Use the story to answer the question. Which sentences are examples of irony?

Irony not irony
answers: Janelle ran the half-block from the subway station to the office, Thanks for picking today of all days to get stuck for twenty-six minutes, has the new supervisor come around yet, i would never make such a silly mistake.

Answer 1

Here’s the classification of the sentences based on irony:

Irony

• Thanks for picking today of all days to get stuck for twenty-six minutes
• I would never make such a silly mistake

Not Irony

• Janelle ran the half-block from the subway station to the office
• Has the new supervisor come around yet

The first sentence is ironic because Janelle is sarcastically thanking the subway for delaying her on an important day. The last sentence is ironic because it reflects Janelle's acknowledgment of her mistake in a way that contradicts her claim of never making a silly mistake. The other sentences do not contain irony as they are straightforward statements.