The sender uses sarcasm in a written message but the receiver interprets it literally. What is the main cause?

Correct answer: Unclear encoding of tone and context

Sarcasm depends heavily on tone, facial expression, timing, and shared context. In a written message, many of these clues are missing, so the receiver may decode the words literally instead of recognizing the intended irony. This is a problem in encoding the tone and context clearly. The receiver’s address, cost of the medium, and speed of feedback do not explain the misunderstanding.