Rhetorical Strategies: 10 Commonly Used Examples

Communication has long been recognized as one of the most important tools for career advancement, but simply speaking or writing well may not be enough to ensure success. To be truly successful in your communication efforts, you need to use language in ways that appeal to your audience. The most effective way to achieve that goal is to learn how to use different rhetorical strategies to sway those who read or hear your message.

In this post, we’ll explore ten of the most powerful rhetorical strategies and explain how they can help you to deliver a more compelling message. We’ll also showcase some examples of different rhetorical devices that you may find useful in your career communications.

What are rhetorical strategies?

Rhetorical strategies are simply word choices that you can use whenever you’re trying to persuade someone else to move toward your point of view. These rhetorical decisions can be made consciously, but most people use them without even realizing that they’re doing so. In fact, chances are that you have used at least some of the most common strategies in casual conversation, whether you realize it or not. These strategies are often referred to as rhetorical devices and are common features in most forms of literature, public speeches, and regular daily communication.

How can you benefit from using rhetorical devices?

There’s a reason that effective communicators use rhetorical strategies in their writing and speech: these devices help them to connect with their readers and listeners in compelling ways. With the right combination and arrangement of words, you can:

Enhance and clarify your message
Organize facts and evidence into a cohesive narrative
More effectively explain your ideas
Appeal to your reader or listener’s logic, emotions, and values
Make the most compelling argument possible

By focusing on the way in which you organize your words, the specific words and phrases that you choose, and the overall message that you deliver, you can more effectively deliver compelling narratives that connect with your audience.

10 examples of rhetorical strategies

There are many different types of rhetorical strategies that you can choose in your own communications over the course of your career. To help you to better understand these techniques and how they’re used, we’ve compiled a rhetorical strategies list below - including examples of each type.

1. Anaphora

This rhetorical strategy relies on repetition to create an expectation for your listeners or readers. To use this device, you simply begin several sentences in a row with the same word or collection of words. By doing so, you can focus attention on the sentences and heighten anticipation as your audience listens to see how the narrative ends. For example, consider this hypothetical speech to celebrate a company reaching its goal:

“The experts all said that this company’s goals were too unrealistic. The experts all said that this team was too fresh and inexperienced to meet those objectives. The experts all said that our competitors would eat us alive if we went forward with the leadership team’s plans. The experts were all wrong - because they underestimated each and every one of you!”

2. Similes and metaphors

Almost everyone uses similes and metaphors in their daily speech. However, targeted use of these rhetorical devices can help to create more illustrative messages for your audience. While both devices are designed to compare two similar things, they are different techniques. Similes compare by using the words “as” or “like,” whereas metaphors simply describe them as equal to one another.

Example of a simile: “My assistant is as reliable as the sun rising in the East”
Example of a metaphor: “This team is the backbone of this company”

3. Euphemism

Euphemisms are important rhetorical tools that you can use when you want to avoid using uncomfortable terms. When you use a less disturbing term in place of that unpleasant word, you can reduce the chances that your audience stops listening by making the concept easier to hear. For example:

Consider saying “passed on” instead of “died”
Use “fell short of expectations” rather than “failed”
Try words like “seasoned” or “experienced” instead of “old”

4. Hyperbole

Hyperbole is used when you intentionally exaggerate for greater effect. You can use this exaggeration in many different ways, through either a single sentence or even an entire paragraph or speech. When used sparingly, this device can be a great way to draw attention to a particular point of interest. For example:

“Last quarter’s sales results were a thousand times better than any of us could have expected!”

5. Amplification

Try using an amplification technique when you want to reinforce a specific part of your message. This is done by repeating words or ideas to focus attention on that idea. For example:

“We all recognize that we are in new territory after the recent leadership shakeup. We have a new leadership team and they have new ideas that they expect us to implement. As a result, we all have a new mandate that will affect every aspect of what we do here. What’s not new, however, is our commitment to one another and our strength as a team - which is what we will rely on to overcome these new challenges.”

6. Anadiplosis

This rhetorical technique is great for creating flow from sentence to sentence, as you lead your audience to your ultimate conclusion. You simply begin each new sentence with the last word of the previous sentence. For example:

“As individuals, we all want to succeed. To succeed, however, we need to move beyond individual action and focus on effective teamwork. Effective teamwork will enable us to meet the goals that will define our success.”

7. Aporia

The aporia technique can be a great way to disarm potential disagreements with your narrative, by addressing them within your message. This is often done by asking a question that seems to doubt your premise and then answering that question to dispel any concerns. For example:

“We all have the same concerns about the acquisition: is my job at risk as the company is restructured? The good news is that our new management has provided assurances that the entire team will be left intact and our mission will not change.”

8. Interrogation

This rhetorical device is what we commonly refer to as a rhetorical question - a question that invites no response, since everyone who hears it understands that the answer is obvious. For example:

“Do we really want this project to fail and cost us our jobs?”

9. Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a technique that manipulates the order of words to create an emotional connection with the audience. It can be an effective way to encourage your listeners to reevaluate their preconceptions and perspectives. One example:

“Do we define success by prioritizing our work-life balance, or by achieving a better life-work balance?”

10. Exclamation

This rhetorical choice allows you to get a little more personal with your audience by using an exclamation of emotion. To use it most effectively, you should reserve the technique for celebratory or other positive messages and avoid expressing any negative emotions. For example, if you were addressing colleagues on the heels of a successful project’s completion, you might include an exclamation like:

“You did it! And believe me when I say that I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of you!”

Summary

How you communicate is at least as important as what you communicate, so take the time to learn how different rhetorical strategies can help you to improve your ability to connect with any audience. The right rhetorical choice can often be the key to creating the most compelling message possible.

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