___ occurs when the audience knows something that a character does not.

a. dramatic irony
b. verbal irony
c. situational irony

a. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that a character does not.

The correct answer is a. dramatic irony.

To determine the answer, it's useful to understand the different types of irony.

Verbal irony occurs when someone says something, but means the opposite. For example, if someone says "What a beautiful day!" when it's actually raining heavily, that would be verbal irony.

Situational irony occurs when something happens that is completely different from what was expected. For instance, if someone prepares an elaborate surprise party for a person who ends up not showing up, that would be situational irony.

Dramatic irony, on the other hand, specifically refers to a situation in a play, movie, or story where the audience or reader possesses information that a character does not. This often creates tension or humor in the narrative. For example, if the audience knows that a character is walking into a trap, but the character themselves is unaware, that would be an example of dramatic irony.

Therefore, the correct answer is "a. dramatic irony" because it describes the scenario where the audience is privy to information that a character is not.

a. dramatic irony