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Difficulty: EasyFigurative Use of Language and Connotations

Complete the statement below by identifying the correct figure of speech. Which literary device is demonstrated in the sentence?

Answer:When the veteran described his traumatic combat experiences as merely 'a bit of an inconvenience', he was making use of 【understatement】.

Answer

The correct figure of speech to complete the sentence is 'understatement' (or 'litotes').
Understatement is a figure of speech in which a situation is intentionally presented as less important, smaller, or less severe than it really is. Describing traumatic combat as merely 'a bit of an inconvenience' deliberately downplays the severity to achieve emphasis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the expression used in the sentence
The phrase 'a bit of an inconvenience' intentionally minimizes the severity of 'traumatic combat experiences'.
Recognizing the deliberate contrast between the magnitude of the situation and the mildness of the expression.
2
Identify the literary device
Representing something as much less intense or severe than it actually is constitutes an understatement.
Matching the definition of understatement to the contextual meaning of the excerpt.

Key Concept

Understatement (and Litotes) as a figure of speech used to intentionally minimize expression for emphasis or effect.
Estimated Time:45s
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Figurative Use of Language and Connotations

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