Which device describes a contrast between expectation and reality, often in words or events?

• A. Irony
• B. Foreshadowing
• C. Metaphor
• D. Imagery

Answer: (A)

Irony is the device that shows a gap between what people expect and what actually happens, often expressed through words or in events. In verbal irony, someone says the opposite of what they mean, signaling the real meaning. In situational irony, the outcome is the opposite of what was expected, creating a twist. Dramatic irony adds another layer when the audience knows something the characters do not, heightening the contrast.

That contrast between expectation and reality is exactly what the question describes. For comparison, foreshadowing hints at what will happen later, rather than delivering the reversal itself. Metaphor makes a direct comparison between two things, not about expectation versus reality. Imagery uses vivid sensory details to create mental pictures, not the reversal between what’s anticipated and what occurs.