Using Rhetorical Devices
Many speakers use rhetorical devices to add emphasis to the points they make. A brief look at
famous speeches in history made by men such as Mark Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
or Martin Luther King's I have a Dream speech quickly reveal certain consistent elements of
rhetoric:
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List of three /Repetition
Repeating words or phrases makes them stick in the listener's / reader's mind. Often
speakers list things in threes.
• 'We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the streets, we will fight them in
the skies' (Winston Churchill)
• 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people' (Gettysburg Address 1863)
• 'Our party will offer three things: jobs, jobs and more jobs'
• 'Connectives make good sense, good style and good grades.' (Mr Maclure 2000)
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Contrastive pairs
• 'That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind' (Moon broadcast 1969)
• ‘Ask not what your country can do fir you. Rather ask what you can do for your country.'
(J.F.Kennedy)
Alliteration
‘My party will offer power and employment’
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Use of rhetorical questions
• ‘Is it not true that ... ? ‘
• ‘Pollution, noise, aggression, drugs - is this what we want on our streets?’
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Using statistics or quotations
'Every year two million is spent on…’
'Five times as many people die from X as do crossing the road every year'
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Using Personal Experience / First person singular
This makes the audience fell the speaker is being sincere
• 'I myself recently visited ...'
• 'I agree ... I think ... I believe ... I admit ... I am sure …’
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Involving the audience
This again makes the speaker sound sincere and the audience feel important.
• 'I am sure each of you knows
• 'How would you feel if...'
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Ending strongly
Use a quotation, a catch phrase or a memorable comment
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Talking negatively about 'them'
This makes for a strong speech. Many advertising campaigns attack the opposition.
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Talking positively about 'us'
This makes the audience identify with what is being said.
Many of these are devices for speeches and some would be too exaggerated for your
essay. However, some of these devices could be used effectively in a written
argument.