Read the passage. The weather forecaster predicted heavy rain and flooding. However, only a few clouds passed over, causing it t
o sprinkle. “That was sure a big downpour,” a radio commentator noted. Which literary device did the author use in the passage? A. dramatic irony B. paradox C. understatement D. verbal irony
Verbal irony is an intentional discrepancy between what is said and what is meant. This literary device is often known as being sarcastic, and is most commonly used to make emphasis or in a humorous context. This is what the radio commentator uses when he says “That was sure a big downpour,” because in reality, there was not a big downpour: "only a few clouds passed over."
