English grammar lessons › Level C2 › Idioms

Not bad at all: irony, understatement and litotes

Recognise when speakers mean more, less or the opposite of what they say, and use understatement to sound measured

What you'll be able to do

Recognise when English speakers mean more, less or the opposite of what they say, and use understatement yourself to sound measured rather than dramatic.

Understatement: saying less than you mean

Said	Meant
It's a bit of a problem.	It's a serious problem.
That didn't go entirely to plan.	It went badly.
He's not the most patient person.	He's very impatient.
I was slightly surprised.	I was astonished.

Litotes: not + the opposite

not bad (good), not unlike (quite similar to), not without risk (risky), not uncommon (fairly common), no small achievement (a big achievement).

A double negative is more careful than the positive: not unhappy is less than happy. In a reference or a review, that care can sound like faint praise.

Irony: saying the opposite

Oh, brilliant, said when the train is cancelled, means the opposite. In speech, tone and situation show it. In writing, irony is signalled by an obvious mismatch with the facts, and it is easily missed. Sarcasm is irony meant to hurt.

The results were not unimpressive.litotes: cautious praise
The weather wasn't exactly ideal for a picnic.not exactly: the weather was bad
Winning the title in her first season was no small achievement.no small: a big achievement
The new system has not been without its critics.not without: it has had quite a few critics
Great, another meeting that could have been an email.irony: the speaker is annoyed

British and American English

Both use understatement, but it is more frequent in British English. Many British speakers use quite good to mean only fairly good, while many American speakers hear it as real praise. When the difference matters, say what you mean plainly.

Common mistakes

Reading not bad as criticism: it usually means good.
~~It was a not small achievement.~~ → It was no small achievement.
~~Her work was not unsatisfactory~~ in a reference meant as praise: readers hear it as lukewarm. Say Her work was very good.
Irony in emails to people you don't know well: without a voice, it can be missed or read as rude.

Practice

'How was the interview?' 'Not bad at all.' How did it go?
Options: Quite well. · Very badly. · It was cancelled.
Show the answer
Quite well. — Not bad at all: litotes for good.
'The hotel wasn't exactly luxurious.' What does the speaker mean?
Options: The hotel was fairly basic, or worse. · The hotel was extremely luxurious. · The speaker can't remember the hotel.
Show the answer
The hotel was fairly basic, or worse. — Not exactly + a positive word: understatement for something quite negative.
Running a marathon at seventy is _____ small achievement.
Show the answer
no — No small + noun: litotes for a big achievement.
The plan is not _____ risk: we could lose a lot of money.
Show the answer
without — Not without risk: it is risky.
His painting style is not _____ his teacher's. (= quite similar to)
Show the answer
unlike — Not unlike: quite similar to.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, then practised with questions you answer by choosing or typing. It comes back for review on later days, until you can use it without help.

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