'They are as fearsome as they are fearless' is an example of______

1. Analyze the question We need to name the figure of speech in: "They are as fearsome as they are fearless."

2. Explain the concepts

• Antithesis: placing contrasting ideas side by side in a balanced structure, e.g. "To err is human, to forgive divine."
• Pun: wordplay using a word with double meaning or similar sounds.
• Oxymoron: two contradictory terms joined together in one phrase, e.g. "deafening silence," "bitter-sweet."
• Simile: a direct comparison of two different things using "like" or "as... as."

3. Work through the sentence

• The sentence has the "as... as" structure, which looks like a simile. But a simile compares two different things (e.g. "as brave as a lion"). Here, the same subject ("they") is being compared with itself, using two qualities: fearsome (causing fear in others) and fearless (having no fear).
• The two words, "fearsome" and "fearless," are placed in a balanced parallel structure, and they carry contrasting ideas: one causes fear, the other lacks fear.
• It is not an oxymoron, because the two words are not fused into one phrase like "cruel kindness." They are separate clauses in parallel.
• It is not a pun, as there is no double meaning.

So the best fit is antithesis: the balanced pairing of opposed ideas (fearsome vs fearless) in parallel structure.

4. Answer The correct option is A. antithesis.

5. Exam tip When you see "as... as," do not rush to say simile. Ask: Are two different things being compared? If not, and you see balanced, contrasting ideas, think antithesis. Remember: Antithesis = Opposites inAirs (balanced pairs); Oxymoron = opposites fused into one phrase.