A figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish.

A bus stations is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.

Where there is a will, I want to be in it.

If I agree with you, we’d both be wrong.

These are gems, elements of books and stories that spark delight in the heart of the audience.

Sir Arthur Canon Dyle mastered the art of the paraprosdokian.

Christopher Nolan mastered the art of the paraprosdokian.

Paraprosdokians are powerful tools to use; I invite you to do so.

Photo by Humberto Portillo on Unsplash.