Rhetoric

Use contrast, threes, questions and pauses like great speakers. Lesson 56 of 58: Mastery, CEFR C2.

Contrast and threes

• Great speeches lean on two shapes. Contrast (antithesis): “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” “It’s not about working harder; it’s about working smarter.” And threes (tricolon): “Faster, cheaper, better.” “Veni, vidi, vici.” Three feels complete; two feels like a choice; four feels like a list.
• It’s not about the money; it’s about the mission. (Contrast)
• We came, we listened, we delivered. (Three)

Questions, repetition and pause

• Rhetorical questions pull listeners in: “So what does this mean for us?” Repetition at the start of lines (anaphora) builds rhythm and power: “We will… We will… We will…”. And the pause: before the key line, stop for two seconds. It feels long to you and powerful to them.
• So what does this mean for us? It means…
• We will listen. We will learn. We will lead. (Repetition)
• Tip: Write your key line first, then build the talk towards it.

Stories and concrete images

• People forget statistics and remember stories. “One in five customers left” is information; “Last month, Mrs Rao, a customer for twelve years, called to say goodbye” is a reason to act. Use a specific person, a specific moment, and one number that matters.
• Let me tell you about one customer.
• Picture this:… (An image)

Lines to have ready

• It’s not about…; it’s about… (Contrast)
• So what does this mean for us? (A rhetorical question)
• Picture this:… (Painting an image)
• Let me leave you with one thought. (Closing a speech)
• Three words: …, …, and … (A tricolon)

Your turn to speak

• Write and deliver a ninety-second speech to launch a new idea at work or in your community. Include one contrast, one tricolon, one rhetorical question, a short story about a specific person, and a two-second pause before your final line.
• I used a contrast
• I used a tricolon
• I used a rhetorical question and a story
• I paused before my final line

Watch your video back for

• Eye contact: on the camera, not the screen or the floor
• Posture: upright and still, shoulders down
• Hands: visible and open, moving with the words
• Face: it shows what you mean, and smiles where it should

Related

• Lesson 55: Humour, irony and culture
• Lesson 57: Debate and conceding
• The whole English course

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