Being honest, but kind
Don't sneeze all over my desk!
Could you please cover your mouth before you sneeze?
At the family dinner, a cousin says "Oh, is there gravy?" What does this mean?
(They would like some gravy.)
I gave my best to be friendly with her, but she is simply a hard nut to crack.
usually a person who is very difficult to deal with
A classmate arrived late for class, and is having a bad day. The teacher reminds them that there is a pop quiz. The classmate says "Great that's exactly what I need." Is this sarcasm?
Yes, they were using sarcasm. It's actually the opposite, they didn't need more stress at that time.
It's getting late. Let's call it a day.
Stop working on something
Stop bugging me! Go away!!
Sorry, I'm busy. Can I talk to you another time?
The teacher is having the students pick a movie to watch during the afternoon. One classmate says, "That movie is so long. I fell asleep in the movie theater when I saw it."
(They probably don't want to watch that movie again.)
Such a beautiful portrait of a little girl represents how a picture is worth a thousand words.
It’s better to show than to tell; illustration conveys a stronger message than words.
The teacher tells the students that they need to pay attention in class or they will miss the important parts of the lesson. Two students are talking and not paying attention. When they get their tests back, the teacher says, "what a surprise." Is this sarcasm.
Yes, the teacher is not surprised that they students did poorly on the test because they were not paying attention to the lesson.
You're taking too many breaks cutting the grass. Time is money.
Work quickly
This spaghetti is ice cold!
Would you mind if I heat my plate?
"He could be less talkative."
(He talks too much.)
The candidate doesn’t look very promising, but you can't judge a book by its cover.
you can’t judge something just by its appearance.
A mother was struggling to bring the groceries inside, when the door shut in front of them. She calls out "Thanks for the help!" Is this sarcasm?
Yes, they needed someone to lend them a hand.
I lost my keys. I turned my house upside down and left no stone unturned.
Ransacked my house and looked every where.
I hate vegetables!
Vegetables aren't my favorite.
"Horror flicks are not my thing."
(They are not interested in watching or talking about horror flicks.) A "flick" is another word for movie.
I understand you want to be a famous singer, but don’t chase rainbows. You are not a good singer!
to follow your dreams, trying to do something that can’t be achieved.
They shot a basketball at the hoop and missed. They said, "That was a really bad shot." Is this sarcasm?
No, they were not being sarcastic. They really do think it was a bad shot.
He's on the fence about who to vote for.
Undecided
Your desk is a disaster!
You could make a light joke, if the person isn't upset, like: "Did a tornado come through when I wasn't looking?!" If they are upset, it is probably best to not say anything.
"Florida is okay."
(They don't like Florida that much.)
My daughter has given me some food for thought about how she organizes her toys.
an idea to think about; think about things that can arise from an event or situation.
A classmate gets to school and notices that their snack was crushed by the books in their book bag. They say, "I did a brilliant job packing my book bag this morning." Is this sarcasm?
Yes! They are being sarcastic. They wish they packed their bag so the snack wasn't crushed.
When talking to your parent they were unsure about what you told them: a friend found 10 dollars in the parking lot two days in a row. You said I heard it straight from the horse's mouth.
Hear something from the person involved
I don't like your new haircut.
What is indirect language?
Using indirect language means we talk around something without actually saying it ...
Don't let the difficulties intimidate you; keep your chin up.
be brave and courageous in a tough situation.
While riding my bike, I was tired. So I stopped to take a break and get some water. Then I got a second wind.
Have more energy after having been tired
I could see that movie 100 more times
I really liked the movie
To make a long story short, I had a wonderful time during my vacation.
Tell something briefly.
You seem so serious. A penny for your thoughts.
a way of asking someone else’s thoughts.