Question

which are examples of puns? select three options.

its pointless to write with a broken pencil.
early to bed means early to rise.
the poor, old cow was udderly exhausted.
a penny saved is a penny earned.
that lightning storm was just shocking.

Explanation:

Define a pun

Using the Literary Devices knowledge point, a pun is a humorous play on words that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or words that sound similar but have different meanings.

Analyze the first option

Using the Shakespearean Wordplay knowledge point, "It's pointless to write with a broken pencil" plays on the double meaning of "pointless" (meaningless/futile vs. lacking a sharp tip). This is a pun.

Analyze the second option

"Early to bed means early to rise" is a traditional proverb about healthy habits. It contains no wordplay or double meanings.

Analyze the third option

Using the Literary Devices knowledge point, "The poor, old cow was udderly exhausted" replaces "utterly" with "udderly" (referring to a cow's udder). This homophonic wordplay is a pun.

Analyze the fourth option

"A penny saved is a penny earned" is a common aphorism about frugality. It contains no wordplay or double meanings.

Analyze the fifth option

Using the Literary Devices knowledge point, "That lightning storm was just shocking" plays on the double meaning of "shocking" (surprising/appalling vs. causing an electrical shock). This is a pun.

Answer:

• It's pointless to write with a broken pencil. (Correct answer)
• Early to bed means early to rise.
• The poor, old cow was udderly exhausted. (Correct answer)
• A penny saved is a penny earned.
• That lightning storm was just shocking. (Correct answer)