English 8

English – Grade 8
Quarter 2 – Module 17: Litotes
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Writer: Cristy Marie B. Gabua

Editor: Rebecca T. Litdog
Illustrator: Edison P. Clet
Layout Artist: Marisol Aspuria Baguisi
Management Team:
Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
Aurelio G. Alfonso EdD
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Victor M. Javeña EdD
Chief, School Governance and Operations Division and
OIC-Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

Education Program Supervisors

Librada L. Agon EdD (EPP/TLE/TVL/TVE)

Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
Bernard R. Balitao (AP/HUMSS)
Joselito E. Calios (English/SPFL/GAS)
Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMS/ADM)
Ma. Teresita E. Herrera EdD (Filipino/GAS/Piling Larang)
Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
Dulce O. Santos PhD (Kindergarten/MTB-MLE)
Teresita P. Tagulao EdD (Mathematics/ABM)

Printed in the Philippines by the Department of Education – Schools Division of Pasig City
 8
English
Quarter 2
Self-Learning Module 17
Litotes
Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the English 8 Self-Learning Module on Litotes.

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed, and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st-century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
For the Learner:

Welcome to the English 8 Self-Learning Module on Litotes.

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

This is your self-instructional learner module in English 8. All the

activities provided in this lesson will help you learn and understand: Litotes
It is hoped that after completing this module, you will be able to:
1. Define litotes.
2. Identify litotes in conversations.

PRETEST

Read the following statements carefully. Write Yes on the line if the sentence
uses litotes. Write No if otherwise.

____ 1. She’s not unkind.

____ 2. The two concepts are not unlike each other.
____ 3. Athena received a hundred calls from her dad.
____ 4. Ram wasn’t a bad cook.
____ 5. I have a million things to do today.

RECAP

We have learned that hyperbole is a figure of speech in which the truth

is exaggerated massively for emphasis for humorous effect. For instance,
when you meet a friend after a long time, you say, “It’s been ages since I last
saw you.” You may not have met him for three or four hours, or a day, but
the use of the word “ages” exaggerates this statement to add emphasis to your
wait.
 LESSON
Litotes, derived from a Greek word meaning “simple,” is a figure of
speech that employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in
other words, a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite
expressions.

For example, using the expression “not too bad” for “very good” is an
understatement, as well as a double negative statement that confirms a
positive idea by negating the opposite (meaning it’s good, by saying
it’s not bad). Similarly, saying “I am not as young as I used to be,” in order to
avoid saying I am old.

Another example, “Filipino feasts with processions are not uncommon”.

Claiming that Filipino feasts are “not common” is a way of saying that they
are somewhat common, when in reality, this is an understatement. Litotes,
therefore, is an intentional use of understatement that renders an ironic
effect.

In everyday life, it is common to experience litotes in conversations,

though not many people are aware of this term and its usage. Below are a few
examples of litotes from daily conversations:

 You are not wrong.

 The food is not bad.
 The city is not unclean.
 I cannot disagree with your point of view.
 That was no small issue.

Interestingly, the use of understatement in the above litotes examples

adds emphasis to the ideas, rather than decreasing their importance. This is
due to the ironic effect produced by the understatement.
Guide Practice
Let’s try a few items as practice exercise. Make a thumbs up  if the
following statements use litotes. Thumbs down  if otherwise.

1. The alarm clock woke me up too early.

This is not a litotes. 

2. The weather is not unpleasant at all.

This is a litotes it means that the weather is pleasant.

3. Where is the nearest hospital in the city?

This is not a litotes. 

4. The food was not bad at all.

This is a litotes, it means that the food was good.

5. I’m afraid that no passenger is allowed to smoke in here.

This is a litotes, it means you are not allowed to smoke in here.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Write L on the blank if the statement uses litotes. Write X if otherwise.

_____ 1. My new glasses don’t look bad.

_____ 2. I haven’t turned in that assignment yet.
_____ 3. This guy isn’t bad looking.
_____ 4. I’m not unhappy with the results of the experiment.
_____ 5. Our English teacher was unhappy with the quality of your work.
Activity 2
Read the following questions carefully. Encircle the letter of your answer.

1. Talking with my fellow passenger, we started discussing current

affairs when the man with the scar said "Global warming is not cool".
What was my reply using litotes?
A. My log fire is very warming.
B. I couldn't disagree less.
C. Save the whale!
D. My feet are cold.

2. What litotes did I think when another passenger on the plane said he
was on the wrong flight?
A. I wonder why he got on the wrong flight?
B. He should have asked before he got on the plane.
C. Australia is in the opposite direction.
D. He's not the brightest bulb in the class.

3. Feeling sleepy, I put on my headphones and listened to Tom Jones

singing. Which of these lyrical litotes was I listening to?
A. It's not unusual to be loved by anyone.
B. Green, green grass of home.
C. What's new, pussycat?
D. Sex bomb.

4. Suddenly, the pilot's voice could be heard speaking over the audio
system. Because of air turbulence, the plane was being diverted to
another city. Which sentence using litotes did I hear the pilot say?
A. Fasten your seatbelts!
B. It's raining men.
C. I cannot find nowhere to land.
D. This is your captain speaking.
 5. The plane eventually landed safely in Washington, and when I was
collected by a yellow cab, I said what to the driver using litotes in my
sentence?
A. When is the next flight out of here?
B. I'm starving!
C. Why do they talk funny?
D. This is no ordinary city.

Activity 3
Write 3 (three) sentences using litotes.

1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________

WRAP-UP

Encircle five (5) words/phrases that best describe litotes.

figure of speech verb noun

understatement complex sentence

means simple adds emphasis

ironic effect adjective unique

 VALUING

“Our words are seeds and each time we speak it gets planted.
Speak positive words and you’ll have flowers, speak negative words and
you’ll have weeds”.

Do you agree with the quotation stated above? Why or why not? Explain
your answer briefly.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

POSTTEST

Read the following questions carefully. Encircle the letter of your answer.

1. Which of the following is an example of litotes?

A. She was unhappy with the quality of your work.
B. I haven’t turned in that assignment yet.
C. We don’t need you to come in in Sunday after all.
D. I’m not looking forward to this dentist’s appointment.

2. Which of the following is both an example of litotes and a double

negative?
A. This guy isn’t bad-looking.
B. I’m not unhappy with the results of the experiment.
 C. The sword wasn’t useless to the warrior.
D. None of the above

3. Which of the following was discussed as a possible purpose of litotes?

A. Making an argument more persuasive.
B. Imitating another author’s work.
C. Lessening the sting of criticism.
D. Ensuring the correctness of an idiomatic saying.

4. In Greek, litotes means _____.

A. plain, simple
B. negative
C. light
D. underhanded

5. What is an understatement?
A. To act as though something is less important than it is.
B. To act as though something is more important than it is.
C. To act as though something is exactly as important as it is.
D. To act confused when you’re not.
 KEY TO CORRECTION

D 5.
5. X 5. No
C 4. 4. L 4. Yes
may vary A 3. 3. L 3. No
Answers D 2. 2. X 2. Yes
B 1. 1. L 1. Yes
Activity 3 Activity 2 Activity 1 Pretest

5. A 5. adds emphasis
4. A 4. ironic effect
3. C 3. understatement
2. B 2. means simple
1. D 1. figure of speech
Posttest Wrap-up

References

“Examples Of Litotes.” Litotes Examples - Examples Of Litotes. Accessed July 4,

2020. https://fos.iloveindia.com/litotes-examples.html.
“Home.” Quiz | 10 Questions. Accessed July 9, 2020.
https://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz3599092933860.html.
“Litotes - Examples and Definition of Litotes.” Literary Devices, December 2, 2017.
https://literarydevices.net/litotes/.
“Litotes Quiz.” Literary Terms, October 6, 2015. https://literaryterms.net/litotes-
quiz/.
“Litotes: Definition and Examples.” Literary Terms, September 16, 2017.
https://literaryterms.net/litotes/.
Michael Navarro, Eloquence 8: (1624-1626 España Blvd. cor. Don Quijote St.
Sampaloc, Manila: St. Agustine Publication Inc. 2015) 219.
“Quiz & Worksheet - Litotes.” Study.com. Accessed July 4, 2020.
https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-litotes.html