Types of Irony

Types of Irony

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What is Irony?

• Irony is a literary device used to show a special kind of contrast between appearance and reality.

• Irony is often used by writers to show humor

• There are 3 types of frequently used irony in literature

Situational Irony

• When a character or the reader expects one thing, but something very different happens or is true.

• Ex. Your friend calls to tell you that she will not be calling you, because she is not allowed to use the phone. 

Dramatic Irony

• When the reader knows something that the character does not know.

• Ex. A character in a story is waiting for his mother to pick him up and take him to his soccer game. Readers learn that he falls asleep while waiting. When his mother gets home, she thinks he has gotten a ride from a friend. She goes to his game without him, to watch him play.

Verbal Irony

• When a character says one thing but means another. 

• Ex. After struggling through a difficult test, a student says, "Well, that was easy. All my studying really paid off."

Multiple Choice

What is situational irony?

• When a character says one thing but means another.

• When the reader knows something that the character does not.

• When a character or the reader expects one thing, but something very different happens or is true.

• None of the above

Multiple Choice

What is dramatic irony?

• When a character says one thing but means another.

• When the reader knows something that the character does not.

• When a character or the reader expects one thing, but something very different happens or is true.

• None of the above

Multiple Choice

What is verbal irony?

• When a character says one thing but means another.

• When the reader knows something that the character does not.

• When a character or the reader expects one thing, but something very different happens or is true.

• None of the above

Open Ended

Write your own example of each type of irony! Have fun and be creative!