Choose the correct Figure of Speech used in the sentence from the given options.
I don't believe you; your explanation is a fairy tale.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Euphemism
Instead of calling the explanation a lie, the speaker calls it "a fairy tale", a gentler way of saying that it is untrue.
| Option | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Oxymoron | An oxymoron joins two words of opposite meaning. The sentence has no such pair. | There was a deafening silence in the hall. |
| (2) Euphemism (answer) | A euphemism is a mild or indirect expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one. It softens what is said, to be polite or to avoid giving offence. | "He passed away" is a euphemism for "he died". |
| (3) Metonymy | Metonymy replaces the name of a thing with something closely linked to it. Nothing is named by an associated thing here. | The crown has approved the new law (the crown = the king). |
| (4) Personification | Personification gives human qualities to a non-human thing. The explanation is given no human quality. | The wind whispered through the trees. |
Note: The sentence also has the form of a metaphor: the explanation is called a fairy tale without "like" or "as". Metaphor is not among the options; of the figures offered, the sentence fits Euphemism, because "a fairy tale" is a softer way of saying "a lie".