The Rule of Three

The use of three points, examples, words or ideas, for some reason, is more memorable than if you use just two or if you use four or more. It could have something to do with the sound or rhythm of a series of threes. Benjamin Franklin’s saying that "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" is a good example of a series of threes as well as rhythm.

There is another aspect of the “Rule of Threes” and that is to often deliberately repeat the same word or words at the beginning of successive phrases or sentences. You hear it often by politicians. You may think it is repetitive, but it is meant to be that way. Repetition is an effective technique. Here are some famous examples:

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people "- Abraham Lincoln

"Never in the history of human endeavor has so much been owed by so many to so few.” - Sir Winston Churchill

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I will

 learn.” - Benjamin Franklin

Don’t worry about being grammatically correct with repetition. Lincoln could have said, for example "We cannot dedicate, consecrate or hallow this ground."  But rhetoric often sacrifices correctness in the name of effectiveness. Instead, he said: "But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground."

Again, think of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech for a powerful example of the effective use of repetition. He also used a variety of other techniques, which are highlighted in bold with their names in capital letters in brackets.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal (EPITHET).

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners (CONTRASTING REFERENCE) will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood (METAPHOR).

“I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression (ANAPHORA & METAPHOR ), will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” (METAPHOR).

One of the most frequent users of anaphora (from the Greek meaning “the act of carrying back) was Sir Winston Churchill, who used it to great effect, as in his 'Fight them on the Beaches' speech.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender .."

Repetitive, yes, but definitely stirring, isn’t it?

About the Author:
Tom Roberts, M.A. helps you make great presentations. See Commanding Communication at http://www.4clearcommunication.com for more information.