Examples of the Rule of Three

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A good presentation technique is the rule of three.

The rule of three is based on the technique that people tend to remember three things.  In oratoration it comes up all the time. So by repeating something three times or using the alliteration with three words, a quite ordinary speech becomes quite emotive.

Good speeches are peppered with lists with three items

1. “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” – William Shakespeare in Julius Caesar
2. “Blood, sweat and tears” – General Patton
3. Our priorities are “Education, Education, Education” – Prime Minister, Tony Blair

They are used in religion…

1. “Father, Son and Holy Spirit”
2. “Faith, Hope and Charity”

… in Public Safety

1. “Stop, Look and Listen”

… and in the film industry

1. “The good, the bad and the ugly”
2. “Sex, lies and videotape”

Putting it simply if you want your message to be remembered put it into a list of three.

Think about – if there are only three points that I would like to leave my audience with, what would they be? And then use no more than three themes per slide.
Here are more examples of the rule of three.

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
– the American Declaration of Independence

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people”
– the Gettysburg Address

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”
– Benjamin Disraeli

“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”
– Sir Winston Churchill

“Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few”
– – Sir Winston Churchill

“There are three principal ways to lose money: wine, women, and engineers. While the first two are more pleasant, the third is by far the more certain.
Baron Rothschild”

“Veni, vidi, vici”
(I came, I saw, I conquered) – Julius Caesar:

“Unwept, unhonored, unsung”
– Sir Walter Scott

“Duty – Honor – Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be”
– Gen. Douglas MacArthur

“The rule is: jam tomorrow, and jam yesterday, but never jam today”
– Lewis Carroll. Through the Looking Glass

Here are some other classic combinations:

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato

Education, Education, Education

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

Bigger, Better, Stronger

Engage, Aspire, Excel

Love, Life, Lust

Do you have any other examples? Please add them into the comments box below.

Related posts:

  1. Visual Communication of Information
  2. Making a Presentation: Part Three
  3. Presentation Secrets
  4. Presenting on webinars
 

Published On: 11th Aug 2006

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Related posts:

  1. Visual Communication of Information
  2. Making a Presentation: Part Three
  3. Presentation Secrets
  4. Presenting on webinars
106 Comments

  1. Hi
    How about:

    Positive, negative, neutral

    Liberte, fraternite, egalite (sorry about the acutes)

    Australia had a sunscreen cream campaign to prevent skin cancer:

    Slip (on a shirt)
    Slop (on some cream)
    Slap (on a hat)

    Cheers

    Bill

    Bill 31 Aug at 00:06

  2. There are three types of people: the ones who know how to count, and the ones who do not.

    Anil 17 Oct at 23:23

  3. the common one is: me, myself and I.

    The one bank has changed their logo from simpler,better, faster
    to
    inspired,motivated,involved

    Mpho 20 Oct at 15:49

  4. Citius. altius, fortius

    BPA 29 Oct at 22:44

  5. SORTED TRIPLETS
     
    3 bases in Baseball
    3 bears
    3 Musketeers
    3 Stooges
    Able, Baker, Charlie
    animal, vegetable, mineral
    Appetizer, Main Course, Desert
    Bach, Beethoven, Brahms
    Blood, Sweat, Tears
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Democrat, Republican, Independent
    Duty, Honor, Country
    English, Irish, Scotch
    Ethos, Logos, Pathos       Aristotle’s three types of speeches)
    Faster, Higher, Stronger
    Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Friends, Romans, Countrymen
    Go Fight, Win
    Good, Bad, Ugly
    Government of the people, by the people, for the people
    Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no Evil
    Homes have been lost, jobs shed, Businesses shuttered
    I came, I saw, I conquered
    Inky, Blinky, Clyde
    Legislative, Judicial, and Executive,
    Liberty Equality, Fraternity
    Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness
    Location Location, Location
    Long, Long, Ago
    Mayo 3 Shields ,,
    Morning, Afternoon, Evening
    Old, New, Benefits,
    Open, Body, Close,,
    Past, Present Future,
    Sex, Lies, Videotape
    Stop, Drop, and Run
    Stop, Look, Listen
    Superman: Truth, Justice, American Way
    Three Wise Men–three gifts gold, frankinsense and myrth
    Three-color flags
    Trilogies of fiction
    Tobacco, Alchol, and Guns
    Tom, Dick, Harry
    Verbal, Vocal, Visual             (parts of a talk)
    We can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground
    We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the Wine, Women, and Song
    Work of remaking America
    Work, Rest, Play
    You’re the ones who feed us, who wipe our tears, who hold our hands or hug us when we need it.

    Joe Sharp 10 Nov at 05:03

  6. shake, rattle and roll

    han 13 Nov at 18:50

  7. stand up, speak up, shut up

    nige 1 Dec at 18:27

  8. yesterday, today & tomorrow

    Roisin O'Donovan 2 Dec at 15:01

  9. ding ding dong

    stb 3 Dec at 11:33

  10. Time, Effort, Money

    Stewart Smith, Head of English 6 Dec at 08:21

  11. one, two, three

    ARH 4 Jan at 08:57

  12. A – B – C

    Do – re – mi

    Anonymous 5 Jan at 17:15

  13. stop, drop, roll

    Anonymous 24 Jan at 23:29

  14. en – to – tre

    Mette 4 Mar at 23:28

  15. rock, paper, scissors
    time, money and environment

    Lauren 9 Mar at 20:57

  16. yes, no, maybe

    Lauren 9 Mar at 20:59

  17. DOn’t like “English, Irish, Scotch” in Joe Sharp’s lonmg list – “English, Irish, and Scots” would be OK, as would be “American, Irish and Scotch”, but English whiskey?

    Tom 13 Mar at 21:38

  18. The Few, the Proud, the Marines.

    Dave 18 Mar at 14:19

  19. College, job, family.

    Nellie 3 Apr at 03:30

  20. “Honor, Courage, Commitment” – a motto in the US Navy

    “Heat, Fuel, Oxygen” – to stop a fire, remove one of the three.

    CogitoErgoCogitoSum 13 Apr at 21:15

  21. Safety – Think it, talk it, work it!

    Anonymous 4 May at 05:52

  22. Would “Lights, Camara, Action” work?

    Alyssa R. 4 May at 21:03

  23. “Love, Hate, Loneliness”

    “Adherence, Lament, Comply!”

    DnGr 3 Jun at 23:17

  24. Shandrach, Meshach & Abednego

    hi lilly, hi lilly, hi lo

    James Roads 13 Jul at 20:02

  25. Glory Honour and Power

    Pst Oluseyi Alakija 20 Jul at 16:16

  26. There are three kinds of people: those who make it happen; those who watch it happen; and those who wonder what happened

    – Brian Tracey (I think)

    Anonymous 22 Jul at 15:55

  27. Cut Copy Paste [Computers]
    Amar Akbar Anthony [Film]
    Pati Patni or Woh [Husband Wife & HER: The Love Triangle]

    Vividh Pawaskar 13 Aug at 18:22

  28. Past Present Future
    Good Better Best
    … and so on

    Yaqoob 15 Sep at 14:17

  29. Sola, perduta, abbandonata…

    (Alone, lost, abandoned…)
    Manon Lescaut, lost in the Louisiana desert in Puccini’s opera of the same name.

    Willem 7 Oct at 17:48

  30. 3 little pigs
    3,2,1
    3 billy goats gruff
    goldilocks and the tree bears
    3 blind mice
    england flag-has three lions

    lucyyy :) 29 Oct at 15:59

  31. up, up and away

    meme 10 Nov at 01:30

  32. Ho Ho Ho

    Zohe 10 Nov at 01:31

  33. have we had “hook, line & sinker”

    Barb 17 Nov at 04:47

  34. the past is history, the future is a mystery and the present is a gift

    lol 27 Nov at 15:28

  35. up down left

    me 17 Jan at 12:25

  36. candle, book and bell

    captrick56 22 Jan at 04:14

  37. sit up,shut up and belt up

    Anonymous 1 Feb at 16:47

  38. Hung, drawn & quartered

    Lucianne Kidd 7 Feb at 21:55

  39. Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha
    Brahma Vishnu, Eshwara
    Vision Mission Action
    The impossible trinity in economics
    Left, Right and the Middle
    Solid, Liquid and Air
    Sun, Moon and the Stars
    Past, present and Future
    Positive, Zero and Negative
    Electron, Proton and Nutron
    Average, above average and below average
    Yes, No, and Undecided
    For, against and nutral
    Like, dislike and indifferent
    Length, breadth and depth
    X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis

    Srinath 22 Feb at 13:09

  40. In the stock market: Hope, greed and fear control all.

    Ben Gan 7 Mar at 07:03

  41. It wasn’t Patton who talked about “blood, sweat and tears;” it was Churchill:
    “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined the government: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.'” 1940

    Jonny H 13 Apr at 00:16

  42. Beanz Meanz Heinz

    Jack Rowland 24 Apr at 21:13

  43. Hip! Hip!! Hurrah!!
    Going, Going, Gone!

    TO 6 Jun at 13:40

  44. Ready, Steady, Go.
    Hop, Step and Jump

    TO 6 Jun at 14:16

  45. Arise , Awake and Stop not till goal is achieved _ Swami Vivekanand

    riya rathore 20 Jun at 15:37

  46. See it, Say it, Do it

    Anonymous 23 Jun at 19:33

  47. Yes, No, Maybe so

    Anonymous 23 Jun at 19:34

  48. Money,power,respect

    Justm3 12 Sep at 03:23

  49. tom dick and harry

    uday 24 Sep at 14:55

  50. ave attque vale (hail and fairwell) …i think

    anonymous 25 Oct at 17:14

  51. this, that and the other

    Anonymous 29 Dec at 00:16

  52. going, going, gone!

    Anonymous 29 Jan at 15:34

  53. Shades on, scarf on, attitude on….

    Anonymous 19 Feb at 15:58

  54. what was the middle one, again?

    frodo 29 Apr at 21:16

  55. sex, drugs, rock n roll
    see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

    ruccus 25 May at 20:40

  56. skin,fruit,core

    Shalini 5 Aug at 15:51

  57. Seen it, done it, got the T shirt!!

    Deborah 27 Oct at 15:51

  58. In the Big Bang Theory (tv show) Sheldon knocks on Penny’s door three times and each time says “Penny!”

    Nicole 27 Nov at 00:35

  59. the people now a days want three things:
    entertainment, entertainment and entertainment

    Anonymous 29 Apr at 10:28

  60. Time to kill
    Money to burn
    Life to waste

    Anonymous 14 Feb at 06:37

  61. bacon lettuce and tomato

    eric 12 Mar at 23:02

  62. red white and blue

    eric 12 Mar at 23:03

  63. etcetera, etcetera,etcetera. The King and I.

    Antony 8 Jul at 10:54

  64. One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready now go cat go!

    Flip, Flop, Fly.

    Three withches of Macbeth.

    Three wishes

    Threesome

    Knock three times on the window if you want me.

    Three steps to heaven

    Three’s a crowd

    Three times a lady

    You, me and baby makes three

    Del, Rodney and Grandad

    What now, what next, where to?

    3 a.m. The witching hr

    Scrooge’s visitation by three ghosts.

    Three Corn Patches

    Three strikes and you’re out!

    One is fluke, two is coincidence, three is proof.

    Three musical chords, A,D,E C,F,G etc

    Triplets

    The first odd prime number is 3

    The rule of three

    Antony 8 Jul at 11:07

  65. Money, Money, Money

    Sex, drugs and Rock’n’Roll

    Mary, Mungo and Midge

    Father, Son and Holy Ghost

    Peter, Paul and Mary

    Antony 8 Jul at 11:52

  66. Martin Luther King’s speech

    Anonymous 6 Oct at 09:49

  67. Lead, Follow or get the hell out of the way

    Daniel 5 Nov at 18:27

  68. red yellow green

    ryan 13 Jan at 10:45

  69. Turn on, Tune in, Drop out.

    Corky Ringspot 17 Feb at 00:36

  70. Get in, Get out, Get Paid.

    Jim Lad 19 Apr at 01:39

  71. Good, fast, cheap – pick any two (a project management rule)

    Lactobacillus Acidophilus 23 Apr at 22:51

  72. “Drown me! Roast me! Hang me! Do whatever you please,” said Brer Rabbit. “Only please, Brer Fox, please don’t throw me into the briar patch.”

    It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s de-lovely.

    Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

    Then close your eyes and tap your heels together three times. And think to yourself, There’s no place like home.

    Sapientissimus 24 Apr at 01:34

  73. Faster, stronger, higher.
    (It’s the Olympics motto)

    shay 8 Jun at 06:43

  74. Alif, Baa, Thaa
    arabic letters

    aik 22 Jul at 06:03

  75. Sugar Spice and Everything nice
    these were the ingredient to make the perfect girls.

    leevan 22 Jul at 06:05

  76. Blossoms Bubbles Buttercup

    Meekail 22 Jul at 06:06

  77. Ready, Set, Go.

    Sullivan 23 Oct at 10:59

  78. The good, the bad and the ugly….

    One, two, buckle my shoe
    Three, four, knock on the door
    Five, six, pick up sticks
    Seven, eight, close the gate
    Nine, ten, a big fat hen…….

    jo 1 Nov at 21:52

  79. Here, there, everywhere. Beatles

    Tom M 5 Nov at 05:34

  80. Ready, Steady, Bake

    Bill 29 Nov at 12:40

  81. Lead, Follow, or get the hell out of the way!

    John V 31 Jan at 20:49

  82. Bigger better brighter

    esther 22 Feb at 15:47

  83. Liberté, égalité, fraternité

    cici 14 Mar at 13:36

  84. Destruction, death and doom
    🙁

    Anonymous 15 Mar at 21:52

  85. ein reich, ein volk, ein fuhrer. [Not one I believe in but one I remember from doing history at school!]

    Athene 1 Apr at 00:45

  86. In Gremlins there are three rules. No bright light, Don’t get them wet, and don’t feed them after midnight.

    CharleyN 17 May at 05:00

  87. You and me and a dog named Boo
    Mother, maiden, crone
    Sun, moon and stars
    Get up, dress up, show up
    Bad things come in threes
    Bacon, bacon, bacon! Lol

    Dawfin 24 Jun at 05:43

  88. Run, hide, fight. From terrorist training. ☹️

    Dawfin 24 Jun at 05:45

  89. Location, Location, Location.. (a key to business success)

    David 23 Oct at 03:19

  90. Live,love,BFF

    Notgonnatellya 5 Nov at 13:21

  91. And my three favorite:
    Me, myself and I

    Winwinwendy 3 Jan at 22:40

  92. Business Family Friends

    Rex di Noci 11 Feb at 20:38

  93. diligence dexterity determination

    plang 20 Mar at 09:26

  94. Good afternoon good evening and goodnight

    Anon 4 Jun at 07:42

  95. iPad iPod iPhone

    Ishan 10 Jun at 05:30

  96. Lights, camera, action!

    Tola 11 Jun at 13:37

  97. Fidelity, bravery, integrity.
    Chemistry, biology, physics.
    Heat, fuel, oxygen= fire
    Protons, neutrons, electrons.
    For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

    Donna 13 Jun at 23:35

  98. Good, better, best, never let it rest ’till the good is better and the better is the best.

    nkksss 3 Oct at 12:58

  99. Peace, Land and Bread
    – Lenin

    onefly27 22 Oct at 14:44

  100. As a dentist, I can see the rule of three so often. For example when I present to the patient a condition in their mouth, when I explain the consequences and then the resolution. Thanks for the thoughtful article.

    Bruce Howell 22 Jan at 15:52

  101. Aspire, believe , act and succeed

    Bob 4 Apr at 10:20

  102. Remember TIM when buying a house…Taxes, Insurance, Maintenance

    Nancy 17 Apr at 16:04

  103. Aim, shoot, reload.

    A Roman in America 20 Jun at 02:55

  104. Love, Peace, and Soul
    Earth, Wind, Fire
    Up, Down, Sideways
    Month, date, year
    Mind, body, soul
    Planes, trains, automobiles
    Bing, bang, bong

    Glora 23 Sep at 21:08

  105. Birth, death, resurrection

    Glora 23 Sep at 21:10

  106. vision, eloquence, and consistency.

    sherlynn 13 Oct at 07:17