Identify the figure of speech used in the following sentence:
Bhaiya calls his study table a neat mess, because he always knows which pile his notes are in.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Oxymoron
“Neat” means tidy and in order. A “mess” is the opposite, an untidy heap. The two words together show a table that looks untidy but has its own order.
| Figure | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Paradox | a statement that seems to go against itself but still holds a truth | A pinch of salt makes a glass of lemonade taste sweeter. |
| (2) Oxymoron (answer) | two opposite words put side by side | The library was full of loud whispers before the exam. |
| (3) Hyperbole | a big exaggeration made for effect | At the wedding, Arjun ate a mountain of rice. |
| (4) Personification | human qualities or actions given to a thing, an animal or an idea | The old radio coughed twice before the news began. |