Irony: Meaning, Types, Examples, Rules, Books and Practice Exercises with Solutions

Irony is one of the Figures of Speech or literary devices, which is deployed to describe an apparent tragic or unexpected situation with a pinch of humour. Rather than stating a sentence or describing a situation as a matter of fact, using Irony creates an impact on the reader or the listener.

The purpose of Irony is to create a stark contrast in the sentence between the expected and the unexpected. An Irony highlights the contradiction, which improves the narrative as well as adds layers to the context and language skills.  For example, Rohan copied from Varun in the exam, but he was the one who stood first, and Varun stood second.

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As per Oxford Dictionary, the definition of Irony is, “the amusing or strange aspect of a situation that is very different from what you expect; a situation like this

• The irony is that when he finally got the job, he discovered he didn't like it.
• It was one of life's little ironies.

[uncountable] the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this

• “England is famous for its food,” she said with heavy irony.
• There was a note of irony in his voice
• She said it without a hint/trace of irony.”

Irony Definition by Collins Dictionary

The Collins Dictionary has defined Irony in two contexts: Uncountable Noun and Variable Noun. Let us take a look at both definitions here.

1. uncountable noun

Irony is a subtle form of humour which involves saying things that you do not mean.

They find only irony in the narrator's concern. 

Sinclair examined the closed, clever face for any hint of irony, but found none.

2. variable noun

If you talk about the irony of a situation, you mean that it is odd or amusing because it involves a contrast.

The irony is that many officials in Washington agree in private that their policy is inconsistent. 

The irony of the situation is not lost on Fellaini.”

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Irony has three broad types, which are Situational Irony, Verbal Irony and Dramatic Irony. Let us discuss each type of Irony in detail.

Situational Irony

In Situational Irony, there is a stark contrast between the expectation and the reality. The absolute opposite of the ideal scenario creates Situational Irony. The usage of Situational Irony makes the reader or audience feel multiple emotions of shock, sadness, as well as a hint of smile (unless the situation is tragic). Some examples of Situational Irony are given below:

• The barber has an awful hairstyle.
• The fashion designer made the showstopper wear a hideous gown at the fashion show.
• The fire station was burned down due to a short circuit.

Verbal Irony

A Verbal Irony is when a speaker or narrator says something exactly opposite of the reality, or the message intended to be conveyed. The purpose of Verbal Irony is to set a tone of sarcasm or satire in the communication. Usage of Verbal Irony is also intended towards bringing in sharp criticism without being direct and blunt. This type of Irony is often used in regular conversation and literature. Take a look at some of the Verbal Irony examples.

• What will I do with so much money? Vinay uttered, looking at his empty wallet.
• If you keep on studying like this, you will definitely top in your class! Sonu’s mother quipped after finding him playing in his room instead of studying.
• What a delicious dish you’ve cooked! Rohan said to his wife after eating the burnt food.

Dramatic Irony

The Dramatic Irony is a literary device similar to a plot twist, which is mostly deployed in literature or movies. In this type of Irony, the reader or audience is aware of the information, but the character/s at the receiving end are not. This factor keeps the suspense or the interest level high among readers and the audience to know the final outcome or the characters’ reactions. The purpose of Dramatic Irony is to bring a sense of suspense, humour, or tragedy. Here are a few examples of Dramatic Irony:

• In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the readers or audience would know that Juliet is alive, but Romeo thinks she is dead and kills himself, unable to bear the pain.
• In horror movies or crime thrillers, the audience knows where the ghost or the killer is hiding, but the protagonists are unaware.
• The protagonist’s family plans a surprise birthday party, but he/she is unaware and think that everyone has forgotten his/her birthday.

Cosmic Irony

The Cosmic Irony is also referred to as the Irony of Fate. This refers to certain situations which are beyond the control of human beings are evoke strong emotions of tragedy. In the Cosmic Irony, the absolute opposite of the expected situation takes place, making the scenario take a dramatic outcome. However, in some scenarios, the Cosmic Irony can have a happy outcome, also. Here are some examples of Cosmic Irony.

• It was the pilot’s last flight before his retirement, but the plane crashed and he lost his life.
• Shankar spent his entire life’s savings to build his house, but passed away before moving in.
• Soham was unable to marry Rina, only to later discover that she had been waiting for him all along.

Irony, as a Figure of Speech, follows certain rules which must be followed in order to use or deploy the Irony correctly, or to create the desired impact. Here are some of the general rules of Irony:

• There must be a stark contrast between the expected and actual event: As Irony is all about creating a contrast in the expected event, the writer must ensure that the contrast between the two is impactful.
• Timing of presenting the Irony: Timing is key in terms of Irony. It must be presented at a time when the emotion of the characters or the subjects is heightened, or during the climax, to bring in the maximum impact.
• Intent Vs Outcome: The intention of the action and the actual outcome is absolutely opposite. Hence, in case of Dramatic or Situational Irony, the intent of the action as well as the outcome must be opposite.
• Presence of Sarcasm: In case of Verbal Irony, the words spoken are exactly opposite to what is actually meant. This is done with a touch of humour and sarcasm to make the effect of the sentence impactful.

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Irony and Paradox have certain similarities, one of which is the opposite of the expectation. However, they are not the same. Here are the differences between Irony and Paradox.

Parameters	Irony	Paradox
Definition	Irony is a literary device which creates a contrasting situation between the expectation and reality.	Paradox is a type of Figure of Speech which is a statement contradicting itself.
Purpose	The purpose of Irony is to create a situation of suspense and humour.	The purpose of Paradox is to reveal a truth or present an idea with
Types	Irony can be divided broadly into four types: ·       Situational Irony ·       Dramatic Irony ·       Verbal Irony ·       Cosmic Irony	The three main types of Paradox are: ·       Veridical Paradox ·       Falsidical Paradox ·       Antinomy
Examples	Some examples of Irony are: ·       The fire station has caught fire. ·       The weather is amazing, it is has been raining cats and dogs.	Some examples of Paradox are: ·       Change is the only constant ·       Less is more

Irony and Oxymoron are both types of Figures of Speech that use opposite or contradictory words or situations. The list of differences between Irony and Oxymoron is given in the table below.

Parameters	Irony	Oxymoron
Definition	Irony is a literary device which creates a contrasting situation between the expectation and reality.	An Oxymoron refers to the usage of contrasting words in a single sentence.
Purpose	The purpose of Irony is to create a situation of suspense and humour	The purpose of using an Oxymoron is to create a striking balance or a paradoxical effect.
Types	Irony can be divided broadly into four types: ·       Situational Irony ·       Dramatic Irony ·       Verbal Irony ·       Cosmic Irony	The different types of Oxymoron are as follows: ·       Situational Oxymoron ·       Conceptual Oxymoron ·       Paradoxical Oxymoron ·       Syntactic Oxymoron ·       Antithetic Oxymoron
Examples	Here are some examples of Irony: ·       A marriage counsellor is filing for divorce. ·       A math teacher made a calculation mistake.	Take a look at some of the examples of Oxymoron: ·       She bought an original copy of the branded bag. ·       Arun remembered the bittersweet memories of his school days.

Irony can be prepared mostly through practice and reading, or observing. Here are some preparation tips to master Irony.

• Understand different types of Irony: First and foremost, you must understand the fundamental concepts of each type of Irony and their purposes. The more you understand the differences between each type, the better you will be able to use them in your communication and make it more interesting.
• Read a lot: Irony is amply used in literature, movies, TV shows, etc. Apart from your English textbooks, you must develop a habit of reading poems, short stories, novels, etc., to understand and use the concept of Irony.
• Observe and Listen: Irony is used in classic and modern literature, advertisements, movies, sitcoms, etc. You just have to keep your eyes and ears open to identify different types of Irony.
• Practice: There is no alternative to practice when it comes to preparing Irony. The more you practice, the more you will be able to identify and use different types of Irony.

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