Question

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: OXYMORON

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two terms that are usually thought of as opposites
are combined in a word or a phrase. Examples of oxymorons include “jumbo shrimp,” “honest
thief,” and “original copy.” An oxymoron may express a complicated truth, reveal a character’s
inner confusion or struggle, or state a contradiction (an expression of opposite ideas) that reveals
a deeper meaning.
Example: It was an open secret that Mila and Andrew were seeing each other.
In the example above, the oxymoron open secret is used to show that although Andrew and Mila
believed their relationship to be secret, everyone knew about it.
A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the oxymoron in each of the sentences below.
1. She asked the gardener for an exact estimate of costs for the job.
2. The comedian scheduled to perform next week is seriously funny.
3. He was clearly confused by the way the novel ended.
4. Those cookies were awfully good!
5. The candidate’s call for fewer holidays was met with a deafening silence.
B. DIRECTIONS: Read the passage. Then, answer each question by writing the letter of the correct
answer on the line.
(1) A storm was brewing, and the crowd for the outdoor concert was growing smaller by the
minute. (2) The singer shrugged his shoulders, a sad smile on his face, and the band began
packing up their instruments. (3) Their only choice was to reschedule the concert for a day with
no rain in the forecast.
1. What does the use of the oxymoron growing smaller in sentence 1 help you
understand?
a. Because of the storm, an increasing number of people were leaving the crowd.
b. Because of the storm, the crowd was growing at a slower rate.
2. Which of the following terms could be used in place of the oxymoron growing
smaller in sentence 1 without changing the meaning of the sentence?
a. closing in b. thinning out
3. Which of the following is an oxymoron used in sentence 2?
a. sad smile b. packing up
4. Which of the following is an oxymoron used in sentence 3?
a. only choice b. a day with no rain

Answer 1

A. Underline the oxymoron in each sentence (listed here):
1. exact estimate
2. seriously funny
3. clearly confused
4. awfully good
5. deafening silence

B. Answers:
1. a
2. b
3. a
4. a