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Language, when you need it
Search concise C2 rules, vocabulary and speaking phrases without leaving the course to hunt through past lessons.
What it is
Anaphora (repeating a word at the start of clauses), antithesis (pairing contrasting ideas in balanced structure), and tricolon (grouping three parallel items) are rhetorical patterns that add force to a point when used sparingly.
Form
| Form | Pattern | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Anaphora | [same opener] + clause, [same opener] + clause | We didn't ask for this. We didn't want this. We won't accept it. |
| Antithesis | not X, but Y | It's not about winning, it's about learning. |
| Tricolon | A, B, and C (parallel form) | We came, we saw, we conquered. |
| Combined | antithesis + tricolon for emphasis | Not silence, not excuses, but action. |
Use it when
- You're closing a speech and want a memorable final line
- You want to make a single point feel inevitable rather than optional
- You're contrasting two options clearly for a decision-maker
- You want a written argument to have rhythm, not just information
Examples
- This isn't a setback. This is a lesson. This is a beginning.
- It wasn't luck that got us here, it was work.
- We plan, we build, we deliver.
- Not perfect, not finished, but real.
- Every delay cost us time. Every delay cost us money. Every delay cost us trust.
Watch out
✗ Using anaphora in every paragraph of a report.
✓ Save anaphora for a single, high-impact moment.
Overuse turns a powerful device into a tic that readers start to skim past.
✗ It's not about the money, but it's also not about the time.
✓ It's not about the money, it's about the trust.
Antithesis needs a genuine contrast, not two similar negatives.
✗ We came, we saw, and afterwards we thought about conquering.
✓ We came, we saw, we conquered.
A tricolon needs matching grammatical form across all three parts.
Remember
Three balanced beats land harder than one long sentence.
Quick check
- 1. Identify the device: 'Not words, but action.'
Reveal
Antithesis
- 2. Write a tricolon about hard work.
Reveal
We trained, we sacrificed, we won.
- 3. Why should these devices be used sparingly?
Reveal
Overuse makes them feel mechanical and reduces their impact.