Question

Which scenario is an example of verbal irony?

A. An English teacher struggles with her grammar on a daily basis.
B. A character goes into an empty house for safety when, in fact, the audience already knows that the killr is hiding inside.
C. Two characters get into a huge fight and then, at the end, one calmly says, "We don’t get along with each other that well."
D. In "Romeo and Juliet," Romeo thinks Juliet is dead and kells himself when, in fact, the audience knows she is still alive but has been drugged.

Answer 1

C

Explanation: Verbal irony is when a speaker says something but means the opposite (often sarcasm or understatement). Option C—calmly saying “We don’t get along with each other that well” after a huge fight—is an understatement/ironic remark. Options B and D are examples of dramatic irony; A is not verbal irony.