What is the term for a hint of what is to come later in a story?

• A. Foreshadowing
• B. Irony
• C. Flashback
• D. Climax

Answer: (A)

Foreshadowing is a technique that plants clues about future events early in a story. It prepares readers by hinting at what may happen, creating anticipation and a sense of cohesion when later developments unfold. These hints can be explicit or subtle—like a storm gathering on the horizon, a recurring symbol that will gain significance, a character’s warning, or a seemingly ordinary detail that later becomes important. Irony, in contrast, is about a mismatch between what characters expect and what actually happens. A flashback is a scene that goes back to past events, not hints about the future. The climax is the story’s peak moment of tension, not a hint of what comes later. So foreshadowing fits best because it intentionally points toward what will occur, shaping expectations and linking early scenes to later events.