Little did the detective know, he was standing face-to-face with the very criminal he’d spent months hunting.

“I’d just like a few minutes of your time,” the detective said. He offered a friendly smile to the barista, already thinking about his next stop. He just needed this one question answered before he could be sure his hunch was correct.

“Sure thing,” the coffee bandit agreed. “Why don’t we step into the back room so we can speak privately?”

Question
Use the story excerpt to answer the question.

What narrative technique does the writer use to create an effect?

(1 point)
Responses

vivid description
vivid description

figurative language
figurative language

verbal irony
verbal irony

dramatic irony

1 answer

The narrative technique used in the excerpt is dramatic irony. The reader knows that the detective is speaking to the criminal he has been hunting, while the detective remains unaware of the true identity of the coffee bandit. This creates tension and adds to the effect of the scene.