'A trouble shared is a trouble halved' illustrates the use of______

Step 1: Analyze the question The statement "A trouble shared is a trouble halved" is a well-known saying. We need to identify which figure of speech or literary device it illustrates.

Step 2: Review the options

• Paradox: a statement that seems self-contradictory but contains a hidden truth (e.g., "The more you learn, the less you know").
• Cliche: an overused expression that has lost its freshness through repetition (e.g., "Time heals all wounds").
• Pun: wordplay that exploits a word with two meanings or similar sounds.
• Metaphor: an implied comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as".

Step 3: Apply to the statement

• It is not contradictory, since sharing a problem really does lighten it, so it is not a paradox.
• It has no double meaning or sound play, so it is not a pun.
• It does not directly say one thing is another, so it is not really a metaphor. (You could argue that "halving" a trouble is figurative, but the dominant feature of the line is something else.)
• It is a very old, commonly repeated proverb that people use automatically in everyday speech. That makes it a cliche.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is **B.

Tip: When an expression is a familiar proverb or saying, ask yourself, "Have I heard this a thousand times?" If yes, it is probably a cliche. For paradox, look for apparent contradictions. For a pun, look for double meanings. For metaphor, look for "X is Y" comparisons.