LITERATURE
Name________________________________
Understatement
An understatement is used to make something seem less important than it really is. Look at
the cartoons below. Both are examples of understatement.
**If they are having to break into their piggy bank,
things are more than just “worse than they thought”
because they are scrounging for money.
**Saying his feet are cemented together, I
would say he had more than a “run in”.
Also, I would assume “Italian family” is just
a polite way of saying the mafia.
**Directions: Answer the following questions below.
1.) If you were trying to be polite, how would you describe the person below.
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2. Imagine you played baseball, and your team won state. Your best friend’s team did not even make
the playoffs, but asks you how the game went. What would you say to him? Remember you want to
make sure you don’t upset him or hurt his feelings.
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3. Imagine your friend got her hair cut like the person below. She doesn’t like it and is pretty distressed
about it, but has to keep it for a week and a half because that was the earliest appointment. What would
you say to her?
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**Directions: All of the things you created above are examples of an understatement. With your
examples in mind, create a definition for understatement. Make sure you not only include what it is, but
why you would use it.
An understatement is ________________________________________________________________________________
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Understatement
New Found Glory
I'm sick of smiling
And so is my jaw
Can't you see my front is crumbling down
I'm sick of being someone I'm not
Please get me out of this slump
I'm sick of clapping
When I know I can do it better for myself
I'm sick of waiting
Sick of all these words that will never matter
I wired these nerves together
Hoping for a chance to think on time
And I'm tracing over your letter
To see if your intentions are as good as mine
And I'm tracing over your letter
To see if your intentions are as good as mine
But you're getting worse (uh huh)
I swear it
It's hard to prove you're an understatement
You're getting worse (uh huh)
And I know
You'll be calling, calling, calling me again
(go)
I can't help how I feel
No I can't help how I feel
But you're getting worse (uh huh)
I swear it
It's hard to prove you're an understatement
You're getting worse (uh huh)
And I know
You'll be calling, calling, calling me again
But you're getting worse
I swear it
It's hard to prove you're an understatement
You're getting worse
And I know
You'll be calling, calling, calling me again
I'm done with everything
That had to do with you
Don't worry, your pictures are already burned
I'm done with new friends
Don't sell yourself short
You'll lose it in the end
calling me again!
calling me again!
I wired these nerves together
Hoping for a chance to think on time
But you're getting worse (uh huh)
I swear it
It's hard to prove you're an understatement
You're getting worse (uh huh)
And I know
You'll be calling, calling, calling me again
What is the understatement in this song?
The song writer is saying that it is hard to just say the girl breaking up with him is no big deal and that she is easy to
forget.________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Based off of the definition of understatement you created earlier, why do they use “understatement” in
this song?
To show that the song writer is trying to downplay how much he cares about the girl._________________________________
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Understatement
**Directions: Read the following passages and answer the questions.
1.) Which of the following is the best definition for understatement?
A. A direct or indirect reference to another work of literature, art work, famous person, or event.
B. An exaggeration used to convey meaning.
C. An author deliberately expressing an idea as less important than what it actually is.
D.A more acceptable way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable.
2.) Which of the following is not an example of an understatement?
A. One nuclear bomb could ruin your whole day.
B. Einstein was a pretty smart man.
C. Buffalo Wild Wings’ Blazin’ Hot Sauce is kind of spicy.
D. She is my best friend in the whole wide world!
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
3.) What is the understatement in this poem?
And would suffice_______________________________________________________________________________________
4.) Why is it an understatement?
Because it is talking about the destruction of the world and saying that if it was destroyed by ice, that would do_____________
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Grew worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday.
That was the end of
Solomon Grundy.
5.) What is this rhyme talking about?
A baby that was born and died a week later._________________________________________________________________
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6.) Explain how this is an example of an understatement.
Because a baby dying after a week is a very sad event because the baby didn’t get a chance to live, so to just say that was the
end of Solomon Grundy is an understatement._________________________________________________________________
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