(Verbal, Dramatic, Situational) Irony Examples & Definitions

Example of situational irony

A fire station burns down

Example of Verbal Irony

If you have to help with housework instead of going shopping with friends, you may tell your mother, "I just love doing house work instead going shopping." Although you say you love housework, you mean something different.

Example of Dramatic Irony

In the story about the "Titanic," the passengers are enjoying themselves. Suspense is created by the irony that the ship and passenger are doomed.

Fact

Irony is a literary technique and rhetoric device that has been used for many years in speech, art and everyday life.

Situational Irony

Occurs when an event turns out to be totally unexpected.

Verbal Irony

Occurs when what is said differs from what is meant.

Example for situational irony

The marriage counselor files for divorce

Fact

There are three basic kinds of irony- Situational Irony, Verbal irony, and Dramatic Irony.

Example of dramatic irony

wo people are engaged to be married but the audience knows that the man is planning to run away with another woman.

Dramatic Irony

Occurs when you know what is going to happen to fictional character, but he or she doesn't know.

Example of verbal irony

Saying "Oh, fantastic!" when the situation is actually very poor.

Example of dramatic irony

A movie you're watching shows a train full of happy vacationers barreling down the tracks. You know that a railroad bridge has been destroyed a few miles ahead of them.

Fact

A writers attitude or feeling about a place, event, or character are revealed through his or her choice of words is called tone.

Example of irony

Antigravity Boy finds that his superpowers are useless against MoleMouth, whose evil deeds are performed entirely underground.

Example of dramatic irony

In a scary movie, the character walks into a house and the audience knows the killer is in the house.

Irony

Is a contrast, or difference, between what is expected and what happens or between what is spoken and what is meant.

Example of situational irony

You leave class early and race home to get to the baseball game on time. When you arrive, it begins to rain and the game is delayed for hours.

Example of Verbal Irony

You stand to give you speech, and your mind goes blank. You stumble through, making it up as you go. You know its awful. Afterward, a friend snickers and says, "uh.... great speech.

Example of situational Irony

You tell your Mom that you'll ride the bus home from school. Instead, you walk to a friend's house. As you cross the street to your friends house, you look up and see your Mom's car in the driveway

Example of Dramatic Irony

You're watching a movie where the beach is closed because of a shark sighting. You know the shark is lurking not far from shore. Then, you see a family run into the waves, unaware of the danger.