A short single act drama is called____________

Analyze the question: The question asks for the term used for a short drama made up of a single act.

Explain the concept: In Literature in English, drama has many forms and related terms. Here is what each option means:

• Opera: A dramatic work set to music, where the characters sing most or all of their lines. It is not defined by length.
• Allusion: A literary device, not a type of drama. It is an indirect reference to a person, place, event, or another work (e.g., calling someone "a Judas").
• Farce: A comedy that uses exaggerated situations, slapstick, and absurd events to cause laughter. It is defined by its style, not by its length or number of acts.
• Playlet: A short play, usually a single act. The suffix "-let" means "small," as in booklet or piglet.

Solution:

1. We need a term describing a short, one-act play.
2. Opera is about music, so it is out.
3. Allusion is a figure of speech, not a drama form, so it is out.
4. Farce describes a comic style. A farce can be short or long, so it does not specifically mean a one-act play.
5. Playlet means a small or short play, usually in one act, so it fits.

Answer: D. Playlet.

Exam tip: Look at the suffix "-let," which means small (booklet, droplet, playlet). Also remember that a "one-act play" is the common description of a playlet. When a question asks about length or number of acts, think of the form. When it asks about style or tone, think of terms like farce, comedy, or tragedy.