Which literary device refers to hints or clues suggesting events that will occur later in the story?

• A. Foreshadowing
• B. Flashback
• C. Connotation
• D. Denotation

Answer: (A)

Foreshadowing signals events yet to occur in a story. It plants hints or clues—through a line of dialogue, a symbolic image, or a seemingly minor detail—that prepare readers for what will happen later, building anticipation and coherence as the plot unfolds. For example, a character noticing a looming storm or a cryptic remark early on can hint at upcoming trouble or turning points.

A flashback, by contrast, takes us back to earlier events, not future ones. Connotation and denotation deal with word meaning—connotation is the emotional or associative meaning a word carries beyond its literal sense, while denotation is its strict dictionary definition. Since the question asks about hints pointing to future events, foreshadowing is the best fit.