Which figure of speech is illustrated by the sentence 'The reason that I took your picture was in order to make a dartboard'?

• A. Epithet
• B. Oxymoron
• C. Allusion
• D. Penphrasis

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is the use of a roundabout, wordy way to state a purpose—that’s penphrasis. In this sentence, the speaker doesn’t simply say why the photo was taken; instead, the reason is described in a lengthy, circumlocutory form: “The reason that I took your picture was in order to…” followed by the purpose. This extended phrasing highlights the intention in a circuitous way, which is exactly what penphrasis (a form of circumlocution) does. If you said it more directly, you’d simply express the purpose: I took your picture to make a dartboard. The other options don’t fit because they describe different figures of speech—epithet is a descriptive adjective applied to a person or thing, an oxymoron combines opposite terms, and allusion is a reference to another work or figure.