An example used to demonstrate something is called an instance. Which option best reflects this use?

• A. An occurrence
• B. An example used to demonstrate something
• C. A case
• D. A scenario

Answer: (B)

An instance is a concrete example used to illustrate or demonstrate a point. In language, you turn a general idea into a specific example to show how it works in practice. The option that fits this use most directly is the one that says an instance is “an example used to demonstrate something,” because it names exactly that purpose. The other terms describe related ideas but not the act of using an example to illustrate: an occurrence means something that happens; a case is a specific example but not necessarily for demonstration; a scenario is a hypothetical situation. So the best reflection of this use is the explicit idea of an example employed to demonstrate.