3 Impactful Ways to Use Rule of Three in Speech Writing

econtentsol Published: October 31, 2024 10 min read

Understanding the Usage of Rule of Three in Writing

Being a professional writer, you must need to know how to make your speeches powerful. You can do it by adding various types of creative elements, such as using rule of three in writing. It is a technique that is used to simplify the summary of any speech.

It is not just a usage of some specific words, but it offers a complete view of your speech. In this blog, we will discuss how to write a speech using this precise technique.

We’ll define how rule of 3 in writing can bring impact in your words and can make your speeches more insightful. But, first let’s understand the basics of this practice in detail below.

What is the Rule of Three in Writing?

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The rule of three in writing allows you to make speeches more effective and understandable. It is a practice that can be used in all types of speeches, stories, narrations and other writing activities. The rule of three in speech writing simplifies the complete message and makes it easy to understand for everyone.

This practice was first invented during the classical times of roman empire. They coined this word by using a particular Latin maxim “omne trium perfectum”.

The rule of three in writing precisely means that “everything that comes in three is perfect”. This led writers to incorporate the technique in their speeches, so that their central point can become strong.

Today, tricolon and rule of three in writing is used extensively by writers around the globe. It offers a basic principle of stating the idea in three short words or sentences. It is specifically used by those writers who want to propose concise but insightful messages in a few words. This allows them to represent their whole story smartly to the people, perfectly in summarized words.

How to Use Rule of Three in Persuasive Writing

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You need to pick the words smartly for a convincing speech. Here are the 3 ways with which you can implement rule of three in writing. Also, if you are short on time , you can take help from professional speech writing services to effectivity use rule of three in your speeches.

1. Three-part Structure

Using a three-part structure, you can implement the rule of three persuasive writing technique in your speeches. It will give it a more optimized look for better understanding of the users. These structures can contain different ideas according to your approach.

We all know pretty well how to structure a speech according to the given central idea. It is a basic attribute that makes the whole plot organized and understandable for the audience.

For instance, you can start with an idea buildup in the first part, then explanation in the second and finally delivering the twist or conclusion at the end.

All of the structuring in this rule of 3 writing technique precisely depends on your outline. Therefore, you must need to focus on it to make your speeches powerful.

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2. Utilizing Tricolon

Tricolon is a famous technique to accommodate the idea of rule of three in your speeches. It is the smartest and most effective way to cater the rule of three in writing. It does not use much space and showcases your whole idea smartly.

Moreover, it is simple to understand and allows you to propagate your central thought easily. Whether you are explaining a troika of things or comparing different products, using tricolon and rule of three in writing becomes a good option for you.

The famous Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address perfectly shows the usage of tricolon in the rule of three practice. His famous words “We cannot desecrate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground” is quite famous.

It demonstrates how a whole story can be compiled into three short sentences, giving people a great illustration of creativity.

3. Hendiatris

Hendiatris can be termed as an advanced form of tricolon. It is a technique in which we utilize just three specific words to convey the whole idea. It looks simple and allows you to establish your point cleverly.

You must have seen this type of combination in the advertising slogans such as “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle”. It is a very famous slogan used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The organization uses this slogan to demonstrate the idea behind their overall green cleaning campaign.

Considering the above example, Hendiatris can be easily accommodated in your speeches. It will certainly make your central idea to get noticed properly. 

However, just make sure to pick the right words in this type of practice. This is necessary because each word shows some specific meaning. That is where you need to be smart and have to pick thrice of them cleverly.

Where Should You Use Rule of Three in Speeches

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It is important to know how to write a speech using the rule of three in writing. It is not a very common technique and must be implemented only in major places. Here are the two spaces where you can target the rule of three persuasive writing concept effectively.

Divide the Speech Using Rule of Three

The rule of three in writing can be best utilized to divide long paragraphs. It suits perfect to organize lengthy content in different parts. Many people utilize this practice to summarize their whole idea in particular phases.

According to seasoned writers, it is quite beneficial to divide speeches using this particular technique. It allows all the audience to acknowledge your message properly.

You can use the general speech outline i.e. Introduction, body and conclusion to accommodate rule of 3 in writing. It will help you to narrate your story properly without making anything lengthy.

Highlight Particular Words Using Rule of Three

The rule of three also highlights particular words and phrases. The above defined example perfectly describes it’s to-the-point usage. The basic idea for using rule of three in writing is to emphasize key messages in your speech. It helps the people to take interest and understand your core points easily.

The famous tagline of ecommerce giant eBay “Buy it, Sell it, Love it” also illustrates the pinpoint usage of rule of three. It shows the complete brand idea behind just three words i.e. to let people buy, sell and visit the store again and again. 

Famous Rule of Three Examples

Being a beginner, you might get confused with the concept of rule of three in speech writing. In this case, it is best recommended to look at some examples that perfectly define the art of using this practice. Here are some of the famous rule of three examples you can easily learn from.

1. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears”

It is quite a famous quote taken from a classical play of William Shakespeare. People around the world still use it in novels to represent the famous statement of Mark Antony. 

2. Blood, Sweat & Tears

Blood, Sweat & Tears is a famous New York based rock band founded during the 60s. Their classical rock songs are still very much loved by the American people.

3. “I came, I saw, I conquered”

It is a very famous English phrase commonly used in writing. It was originated from an ancient Latin term Veni, vidi, vici.

4. “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”

This is a quote from a famous address given by President Abraham Lincoln in November 19, 1863. It defines everything related to a people-led government that transformed the fortunes of the US.

5. “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

It is a well-known phrase taken from the excerpts of United States Declaration of Independence. It defines the three main rights that all the human beings in the world are entitled to receive.

6. “Unity, Faith, Discipline”

These three word attributes are taken from the famous public address of Muhammed Ali Jinnah in December 1947 after the independence of Pakistan.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the definition of rule of three?
The rule of three helps you to showcase your central idea easily. It utilizes a combination of three strong words in a speech aimed around your entire idea. 
2. What is the rule of three persuasive writing?
It is a type of writing that helps you to use three strong words with adjectives to prove a singular point. These words are smartly picked and used in conjunction with the adjectives. They allow you to write impressive taglines or slogans easily.
3. Where can I use the rule of three practice?
You can use the rule of three in various places, such as structuring, phrase writing and more others.
4. Describe the rule of three in famous speech examples?
You can find various types of speeches covering the rule of three example. One of the most popular among them is the United States Declaration of Independence i.e. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. It is a very famous quote stated by the renowned American Statesman Thomas Jefferson.
5. Why is the rule of three important for speeches?
The rule of three helps you to organize lengthy speeches smartly. You can use it to portray a powerful message in just a few words. It makes your representation simple yet very impressive.

Final Words

This practice provides a spectacular opportunity to state your central idea. If you are looking to convey some powerful thoughts in your speech, consider using the effect of rule of three in writing. It offers a big takeaway in terms of providing impactful messages, that too by using lesser space.

The above article about rule of three in speech writing is quite self-explanatory. It has defined how and where to use the rule of three in lengthy speeches. This practice allows you to describe a baseline in a nutshell, rightly by using persuasive words.

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