Stylistic Devices: Parallelism, Anaphora, Tricolon
Parallelism repeats the same grammatical structure across items in a list, anaphora repeats the same words at the start of successive clauses, and a tricolon groups three parallel parts for rhythmic emphasis — all three make speech and writing more memorable and persuasive.
Formula
Examples
Usage
- •Add rhythm, emphasis, and memorability to speech and writing
- •Common in speeches, advertising, slogans, and literary writing
- •Make ideas more persuasive and easier to remember
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Try 5 cards free — no signup →What is parallelism in a sentence?
Parallelism means matching the grammatical form of items that appear together in a list or comparison: all infinitives, all -ing forms, or all noun phrases — never mixed. "To err is human, to forgive divine" balances two infinitive clauses; "She likes to swim, to hike, and to read" keeps all three verbs as infinitives.
Broken parallelism — mixing forms, like "to swim, hiking, and to read" — is one of the most common errors in writing at any level, because the mismatch is easy to miss while drafting.
What is anaphora and how is it different from a tricolon?
Anaphora repeats the same word or phrase at the start of successive clauses for building momentum: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields." It's defined by repetition of an opening, not by a fixed number of parts.
A tricolon is defined by count, not repetition: exactly three parallel parts, which can (but don't have to) share anaphora — "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is a tricolon without repeated opening words; "Yes we can. Yes we can. Yes we can." is both a tricolon and anaphora at once.
Why do three-part lists (tricolons) sound so satisfying?
Tricolons exploit what's sometimes called the "rule of three": two items feel incomplete, four feel like a list going on too long, but three feel deliberate and conclusive. "I came, I saw, I conquered" builds and resolves in exactly three steps, which is why it — and structures like it — stick in memory far more than an equivalent two- or four-part list would.
Comparison Table
| Form | Device | Pattern | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parallelism | Same grammatical form repeated across list items | Balance, clarity | To err is human, to forgive divine. | |
| Anaphora | Same word(s) repeated at the start of clauses | Building momentum, emphasis | We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight… | |
| Tricolon | Exactly three parallel parts | Rhythmic, conclusive, memorable | Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. | |
| Chiasmus | AB-BA reversal across two clauses | Highly quotable, mirrored logic | Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. |
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When to Use Stylistic Devices: Parallelism, Anaphora, Tricolon
Persuasive political and public speaking
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds…
Memorable slogans and taglines
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Literary contrast and rhythm in prose
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
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More Examples
Government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Parallel preposition + noun (Lincoln) — also a tricolon
Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.
Chiasmus / reversed parallelism
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Anaphora ("it was…") with antithesis
Veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered.)
Classical tricolon with rhythmic build-up
Yes we can. Yes we can. Yes we can.
Anaphora used in oratory for emphasis
Common Mistakes
- ✗Broken parallelism: ❌ "She likes to swim, hiking, and to read" → ✓ "She likes to swim, to hike, and to read" (all infinitives).
- ✗Overusing rhetorical devices in business/academic writing — can feel forced or theatrical.
Tips
- ✓Three is a magic number — tricolons feel naturally satisfying ("life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness").
- ✓Match grammatical form across parallel items: all -ing forms, all infinitives, or all noun phrases — never mix.
Advanced Notes
Rhetorical devices operate on the listener's ear and memory as much as on meaning. Tricolons exploit the cognitive "rule of three" — two items feel incomplete, four feel exhausting, three feel satisfying and conclusive. Anaphora (repeated opening) creates building momentum; epistrophe (repeated ending) is its less-known mirror. Chiasmus (AB-BA reversal) produces the most memorable single-line formulations in the language. At C2 level, active recognition matters as much as production: exam tasks often ask learners to identify and comment on these devices in literary or political texts. Broken parallelism (mixing grammatical forms across a list) is among the most common writing errors at any level.
FAQ
"She likes to swim, hiking, and to read" — what's wrong with this sentence?
The three items in the list don't share the same grammatical form: "to swim" and "to read" are infinitives, but "hiking" is a gerund. The fix is to make all three match: "She likes to swim, to hike, and to read." This mismatch — broken parallelism — is one of the most common writing errors at any level.
Are rhetorical devices appropriate in business or academic writing?
Sparingly, yes — a well-placed tricolon or parallel structure can add clarity and impact. But overusing anaphora, tricolons, or chiasmus in business or academic contexts can feel forced or theatrical; these devices belong more naturally in speeches, persuasive writing, and literary prose than in a technical report.
Why do tricolons (three-part lists) sound so satisfying?
Because of the cognitive "rule of three": two items feel incomplete, four feel exhausting, and three feel naturally conclusive. That's why phrases like "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and "I came, I saw, I conquered" are so much more memorable than equivalent lists with a different number of parts.
What is chiasmus?
Chiasmus is an AB-BA reversal of structure across two clauses: "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." The second half mirrors the first in reverse, which produces some of the most quotable single-line formulations in the language.
How are rhetorical devices different from grammatical emphasis structures like cleft sentences?
Cleft sentences ("It was Sarah who won") emphasize one specific element within a single clause using a fixed grammatical structure. Parallelism, anaphora, and tricolon operate across multiple clauses or list items, creating rhythm and memorability through repetition and pattern rather than through restructuring a single sentence around a focus word.
Practice
- 1.She likes to swim, to hike, and read.
- 2.I came, I saw, I .
- 3.We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall in the fields.
- 4.It was the best of times, it was the of times.
- 5.Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can for your country.
Compare With
Other C2 Topics
Cleft Sentences
Used for splitting a clause to emphasise or focus on one key element
Subjunctive Mood
Expresses necessity, demands, or hypotheticals in formal registers
Advanced Passive Voice
Used for distancing, causative, and impersonal reporting in formal contexts
Future in the Past
Expresses what was planned or expected from an earlier point in the past
Fronting and Marked Themes
Used for moving elements to sentence-initial position for contrast or thematic emphasis
Information Packaging (Existential There, Extraposition)
Used for controlling where given and new information falls for maximum clarity