ThreesBy, Jenny Campfield

What are threes?

Threes:a principle in English writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things

Once there was a mother pig who had three little pigs. She did not have enough to keep them, so she sent them out to seek their fortunes.

The first little pig had not gone far when he met a man with a bundle of straw. The little pig said to him, "Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house.” This the man did, and soon the little pig had built a house with it.

Just after the house was built, along came a wolf. He knocked at the door of the little pig's house and called, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in!” But the little pig answered, "No, no! Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!"

Then the wolf said, "I'll huff and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!” So he huffed and he puffed until he blew the house in, and ate up that little pig.

Why do threes work?

Rhythm:One-two-three, one-two-three

Flow

Examples:As she raced down the stairs she saw lights, snow, and presents.

“Science probes the factual state of the world; religion and ethics deal with oral reasoning; art and literature treat aesthetic and social judgment” (Gould, The Dinosaur Rip-off).

ContinuedEmphasize/ deemphasize phrases

Example: “Interdependence is the paradigm of we – we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together” (Covey, Seven Habits).

Tension

Humor:Pattern broken by punch line

Example: How do you get to my place? Go to the corner, turn left, and get lost.

Progression:

Beginning, middle, end

How many common threes can you think

of?

Examples:Red, White, BlueSnap, crackle popMorning, noon, and night

Additional Examples

Reading, writing, and arithmetic

Up, up, and away

On your mark, get set, go

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker

Blood, sweat, and tears

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Bacon, lettuce, tomato

Stop, look, and listen

I came, I saw, I conquered

Men, women, and children