Which term describes a literary device in which the outcome is the opposite of what is expected?

Which term describes a literary device in which the outcome is the opposite of what is expected?

• A. Prefix
• B. Irony
• C. Affix
• D. Suffix

Answer: (C)

Irony is a literary device where what happens is opposite of what is expected, often creating a contrast between appearance and reality. In situational irony, the outcome defies what both characters and readers anticipate. In verbal irony, someone says the opposite of what they mean, usually for effect. In dramatic irony, the audience knows something the characters do not, amplifying the sense that the outcome will be surprising. The other terms refer to word parts that attach to a base word to change meaning or part of speech—prefixes and suffixes or affixes themselves. They are about word construction, not about surprising outcomes in a situation.

Irony is a literary device where what happens is opposite of what is expected, often creating a contrast between appearance and reality. In situational irony, the outcome defies what both characters and readers anticipate. In verbal irony, someone says the opposite of what they mean, usually for effect. In dramatic irony, the audience knows something the characters do not, amplifying the sense that the outcome will be surprising.

The other terms refer to word parts that attach to a base word to change meaning or part of speech—prefixes and suffixes or affixes themselves. They are about word construction, not about surprising outcomes in a situation.