01 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesA line from a book
“the parish authorities magnanimously and humanely resolved, that Oliver should be “farmed,””
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
Baby Oliver is being sent to a place where children are half-starved. Which technique is Dickens using in “magnanimously and humanely”?
- APathetic fallacy
- BOnomatopoeia
- CSimile
- DIrony
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Answer: D Irony
“Magnanimously” means generously and “humanely” means kindly, but sending a baby to be neglected is neither. Dickens says the opposite of what he means, which is irony, to show how cruel the authorities really are.
02 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
The road-safety officer was given a parking ticket outside the school where he had come to talk about obeying the rules of the road.
Which technique is used here?
- AOxymoron
- BOnomatopoeia
- CSimile
- DIrony
Show the answer
Answer: D Irony
The person you would least expect to break the rules is the one who gets the ticket. When events turn out the opposite of what we expect, it is called situational irony.
03 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
The audience has watched the villain poison the cup. The hero smiles, raises it and says, “To a long and happy life!”
The audience knows something that the character does not. What is this called?
- AAlliteration
- BOnomatopoeia
- CDramatic irony
- DPersonification
Show the answer
Answer: C Dramatic irony
We know the drink is poisoned and the hero does not, so his toast to a long life takes on a terrible double meaning. That gap between what we know and what a character knows is dramatic irony, and it builds tension.
04 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
A writer says the opposite of what they mean, often to mock or criticise. What is this called?
- AA simile
- BAlliteration
- COnomatopoeia
- DVerbal irony
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Answer: D Verbal irony
Verbal irony means saying one thing and meaning the opposite, such as calling a terrible meal “a real treat”. When it is meant to wound, it is called sarcasm.
05 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
Sadly, our old dog passed away last night.
Which phrase is a euphemism?
- Apassed away
- BSadly
- Cour old dog
- Dlast night
Show the answer
Answer: A passed away
A euphemism is a gentle phrase used in place of a harsh or upsetting one. “Passed away” softens the plain word “died”.
06 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
Two hundred workers will be let go when the factory closes.
Why does the company say “let go” instead of “sacked”?
- ATo make losing jobs sound gentler
- BTo show the factory is growing
- CTo make the news sound more shocking
- DBecause “sacked” is spelt wrongly
Show the answer
Answer: A To make losing jobs sound gentler
“Let go” is a euphemism: it sounds almost kind, as if the workers were being freed. Companies use phrases like this to soften bad news and protect their image.
07 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
What is a euphemism?
- AA comparison using like or as
- BA mild phrase used in place of a harsh one
- CA word that copies a sound
- DA deliberate exaggeration
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Answer: B A mild phrase used in place of a harsh one
Euphemisms such as “passed away”, “between jobs” or “a little thin on top” make painful or awkward things easier to say. In non-fiction, look for euphemisms that hide something the writer would rather the reader did not think about.
08 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
There was some collateral damage during the attack.
In a war report, “collateral damage” means that ordinary people were killed or hurt. Why might a writer choose this phrase?
- AIt hides how terrible the events were
- BIt makes the deaths sound worse
- CIt is the medical name for injuries
- DIt shows the writer is being completely honest
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Answer: A It hides how terrible the events were
This euphemism turns deaths into a dry, technical phrase, so the reader does not picture real people suffering. Spotting it helps you judge a writer’s viewpoint.
09 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
The old boat rolled slowly home.
Which technique is used here?
- AAssonance
- BAlliteration
- COnomatopoeia
- DSimile
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Answer: A Assonance
The long “o” sound repeats in “old”, “boat”, “rolled”, “slowly” and “home”. Repeated vowel sounds are assonance; here the long, round sound slows the sentence down, like the boat.
10 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
High in the bright night, a kite flies.
Which vowel sound is repeated?
- AThe “oo” sound, as in “moon”
- BThe short “a” sound, as in “cat”
- CThe long “i” sound, as in “night”
- DThe short “e” sound, as in “bed”
Show the answer
Answer: C The long “i” sound, as in “night”
“High”, “bright”, “night”, “kite” and “flies” all share the long “i” sound. Repeating a vowel sound in nearby words is assonance, and it gives the line a light, ringing feel.
11 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Alliteration repeats the consonant sounds at the start of words. What does assonance repeat?
- AVowel sounds inside words
- BConsonant sounds at the ends of lines
- CWhole words at the start of lines
- DOpposite ideas side by side
Show the answer
Answer: A Vowel sounds inside words
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u and their long forms) in nearby words, such as “deep” and “sleep”. Listen for the sound, not the spelling.
12 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesA line from a book
“it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity”
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Each part of the line begins with the same words. What is this technique called?
- AOxymoron
- BAnaphora
- COnomatopoeia
- DSimile
Show the answer
Answer: B Anaphora
Anaphora is repeating the same words at the start of clauses or sentences. Starting each clause with “it was the” creates a steady rhythm, so the opposites that follow stand out even more.
13 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
We will not give up. We will not be silenced. We will not go away.
Each sentence starts with the same words. What is this technique called?
- AOxymoron
- BAnaphora
- COnomatopoeia
- DSimile
Show the answer
Answer: B Anaphora
Repeating “We will not” at the start of each sentence is anaphora. Like a drumbeat, it makes the speaker sound united and unstoppable, and it is easy for listeners to remember.
14 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Which of these uses anaphora?
- AChildren need food, and they also need safety.
- BDo children not deserve food and safety?
- CFood and safety matter to all children.
- DEvery child deserves food. Every child deserves safety.
Show the answer
Answer: D Every child deserves food. Every child deserves safety.
Only one option starts two sentences with the same words, “Every child deserves”. That repetition at the start is anaphora, and it hammers the key idea home.
15 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
I have told you a million times to tidy your room.
Which technique is used here?
- AOxymoron
- BOnomatopoeia
- CSimile
- DHyperbole
Show the answer
Answer: D Hyperbole
Nobody has really said anything a million times. Deliberate exaggeration like this is hyperbole: it shows how frustrated the speaker feels.
16 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
The queue for the new phone stretched halfway to the moon.
Why might a journalist exaggerate like this?
- ATo stress how long the queue was
- BTo give the exact length of the queue
- CTo make the report sound calm and neutral
- DTo show the queue was short
Show the answer
Answer: A To stress how long the queue was
The queue cannot reach the moon, so this is hyperbole. It is not meant to be believed: it makes a point (a very long queue) in a vivid, often comic, way.
17 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
It was an open secret that the head teacher was leaving.
Which technique is “open secret”?
- AOxymoron
- BOnomatopoeia
- CSimile
- DPersonification
Show the answer
Answer: A Oxymoron
A secret is hidden, so it cannot really be “open”. Two words with opposite meanings placed together make an oxymoron; here it means something everyone knows but no one says aloud.
18 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
For the prisoners, life in the camp was a living death.
Which two words form an oxymoron?
- AFor the
- Bthe prisoners
- Cthe camp
- Dliving death
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Answer: D living death
“Living” and “death” are opposites, so together they form an oxymoron. It suggests the prisoners are alive, but their lives are so empty they might as well be dead.
19 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
To be honest, the new skate park is well good and loads of kids are buzzing about it.
What kind of language is used here?
- AFormal language
- BOld-fashioned language
- CColloquial language
- DTechnical jargon
Show the answer
Answer: C Colloquial language
“Well good”, “loads of”, “kids” and “buzzing” are the words of everyday chat. Colloquial language sounds like casual speech, so it suits a friendly blog, not a letter to the council.
20 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Which phrase is colloquial?
- Amany
- Ba large quantity of
- Ca great number of
- Dloads of
Show the answer
Answer: D loads of
“Loads of” is how people talk to friends. The other three mean the same thing in a more formal register.
21 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Why might a writer use colloquial language in a magazine article for teenagers?
- ATo fill the article with technical terms
- BTo sound friendly and close to the reader
- CTo sound distant and official
- DTo make the article harder to follow
Show the answer
Answer: B To sound friendly and close to the reader
Colloquial language sounds like a friend talking, which builds a bond with the reader. Choosing a register that fits the audience is part of what the writing marks reward.
22 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Which sentence uses the most emotive language?
- ASeveral cats were found outside last week.
- BTerrified, starving kittens were dumped in the freezing rain.
- CSome cats were left outside in poor weather.
- DThe cats were taken to a local shelter.
Show the answer
Answer: B Terrified, starving kittens were dumped in the freezing rain.
“Terrified”, “starving”, “dumped” and “freezing” are chosen to make the reader feel pity and anger. The other sentences report much the same events in neutral words.
23 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
This heartless decision will rip families apart.
Which two words carry the most emotional force?
- A“This” and “will”
- B“heartless” and “rip”
- C“This” and “decision”
- D“decision” and “will”
Show the answer
Answer: B “heartless” and “rip”
“Heartless” accuses the decision-makers of cruelty, and “rip” makes the harm sound violent and sudden. Emotive words like these push the reader to feel, not just think.
24 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
You might think one plastic bottle does not matter. Think again.
Which technique does the writer use to involve the reader?
- AOxymoron
- BDirect address
- COnomatopoeia
- DSimile
Show the answer
Answer: B Direct address
The writer speaks straight to the reader as “you” and even guesses what they are thinking. Direct address makes each reader feel the argument is about them personally.
25 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Which sentence uses direct address?
- ASome people feel invisible at times.
- BHave you ever felt invisible at school?
- CMany pupils feel invisible at school.
- DPupils at the school felt invisible.
Show the answer
Answer: B Have you ever felt invisible at school?
Only one sentence speaks to the reader as “you”. Direct address pulls the reader in, especially when it asks them about their own experience.
26 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
When I was nine, I fell off my bike on the busy main road, and a stranger stopped the traffic to help me.
This comes from a speech about road safety. Which technique is it?
- AExpert opinion
- BA statistic
- CAn oxymoron
- DAn anecdote
Show the answer
Answer: D An anecdote
A short story from the speaker’s own life is an anecdote. It makes the danger of the road feel real and personal, so listeners remember it better than a bare fact.
27 / Irony, euphemism and more devices
Which sentence uses a statistic?
- AOver 60% of local teenagers have no youth club nearby.
- BLots of local teenagers have nowhere to go.
- CEvery teenager deserves somewhere to go.
- DMy cousin has no youth club near her house.
Show the answer
Answer: A Over 60% of local teenagers have no youth club nearby.
A statistic is a fact given as a number or percentage. “Lots of” is vague, the cousin is an anecdote, and “deserves” is an opinion; only “over 60%” gives a figure.
28 / Irony, euphemism and more devicesOur own example
Three in four parents say their children spend too long on screens, according to a survey of 2,000 families.
Why does the writer add “according to a survey of 2,000 families”?
- ATo tell a personal story
- BTo ask the reader a question
- CTo make the statistic seem more reliable
- DTo make the reader laugh
Show the answer
Answer: C To make the statistic seem more reliable
Saying where a figure came from, and how many people were asked, makes it sound trustworthy. When you read a statistic, ask whether the writer has told you its source.
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