“It’s time for recess,” Tom said playfully. “I can turn on the lights,” Tom said powerfully.\nWhat do you think is the punchline of the above joke?
Tom Swifties are a type of humor from a series of old books. I have not read the books but I love the odd humor in Tom Swifties.
A Tom Swiftie has Tom saying something in a way that relates humorously to the words that he spoke. Typically the sentences end with Tom said [adverb]. For example… “This coffee needs more sugar,” Tom said bitterly. This is funny because coffee has a bitter taste, and Tom said this bitterly.
Here are a few more examples I found on Wikipedia with a short explanation I added in parentheses:
- “Pass me the shellfish,” said Tom crabbily. (Crabs have shells.)
- “We just struck oil!” Tom gushed. (Oil gushes from a well.)
- “Get to the back of the ship!” Tom said sternly. (The back of a boat is called the stern.)
- “I forgot what I needed at the store,” Tom said listlessly. (If you make a list, you won’t forget.)
If you create a Tom Swiftie you can send it to me and I will add them to an upcoming post. Or you can leave a comment with your Tom Swiftie.