persuasive words beginning with i

304 Positive Words That Start with I

If you’re looking for positive words that start with the letter I, we’re here to help.

As lovers and sharers of positive news (we publish good news online , in our free newsletter , on our positive podcast , and our beautiful monthly Goodnewspaper ) and so we’re always thrilled to help fill the world with more positivity.

We’ve compiled the best positive words that start with I into a simple and easy-to-scroll guide. No matter why you’re seeking out nice and kind words, may this list help you feel more positive.

Plus, explore more positive words that start with… A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N ‍ O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y |  Z

Nice, Kind, and Positive Words That Start with the Letter I —

• Idealistically
• Idiosyncrasy
• Idiosyncratic
• Illimitable
• Illuminating
• Illumination
• Illustration
• Illustrative
• Illustrious
• Imagination
• Imaginative
• Immaculately
• Immeasurable
• Immediately
• Immigration
• Immortality
• Immune System
• Immunotherapy
• Impartiality
• Impartially
• Impassioned
• Impermeable
• Imperturbable
• Impressively
• Impressiveness
• Improvement
• Improvisational
• Incandescent
• Inclusivity
• Incomparability
• Incomparable
• Incontestable
• Incontrovertible
• Incorruptible
• Indefatigable
• Independence
• Independent
• Independently
• Indescribable
• Indestructible
• Indispensable
• Indisputable
• Individuality
• Individualize
• Indivisible
• Indomitable
• Indubitable
• Industrious
• Inexpensive
• Inexpensively
• Infallibility
• Infatuation
• Influential
• Informational
• Informative
• Informatory
• Ingeniously
• Ingenuously
• Ingratiating
• Ingratiatingly
• Ingratiation
• Inheritance
• Inner-peace
• Inquisitive
• Insightfully
• Insightfulness
• Inspiration
• Inspirational
• Inspiriting
• Instantaneous
• Instinctive
• Instinctively
• Instruction
• Instructional
• Instructive
• Instrumental
• Integrating
• Integration
• Intellection
• Intellectual
• Intellectualize
• Intelligence
• Intelligent
• Intelligible
• Interactive
• Interconnected
• Interesting
• Intermediate
• Interminable
• Intermingle
• Interpretation
• Intersectional
• Intersectional Environmentalism
• Intertwined
• Intoxicating
• Intriguingly
• Introduction
• Introductory
• Intuitiveness
• Inventiveness
• Invigorated
• Invigorating
• Invincibility
• Invulnerable
• Irrefutable
• Irreplaceable
• Irrepressible
• Irreproachable
• Irresistible
• Irresistibly

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a positive word that starts with i.

A few positive words that start with the letter I include: Ideal, Imaginative, Impartial, Impressive, Inclusive, Inspire, Integrity, Intuitive, and Inventive.

What words start with the letter I to describe a person?

A few positive words that start with the letter I that can be used to describe someone include: Idealistic, Impartial, Impressive, Inclusive, Independent, Innovative, Insightful, Inspiring, and Intuitive.

Plus, explore more positive words articles:

• Positive Words That Start with A
• Positive Words That Start with B  
• Positive Words That Start with C  
• Positive Words That Start with D  
• Positive Words That Start with E  
• Positive Words That Start with F  
• Positive Words That Start with G  
• Positive Words That Start with H  
• Positive Words That Start with I  
• Positive Words That Start with J  
• Positive Words That Start with K  
• Positive Words That Start with L  
• Positive Words That Start with M  
• Positive Words That Start with N
• Positive Words That Start with O  
• Positive Words That Start with P  
• Positive Words That Start with Q  
• Positive Words That Start with R  
• Positive Words That Start with S  
• Positive Words That Start with T  
• Positive Words That Start with U  
• Positive Words That Start with V  
• Positive Words That Start with W  
• Positive Words That Start with X  
• Positive Words That Start with Y  
• Positive Words That Start with Z
• Word of the Year Ideas
• Positive Words To Describe Someone
• Positive Words From A-Z

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The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language

Home » Blog » The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language

THE 108 MOST PERSUASIVE WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

It’s a long known fact that the secret to persuasive writing isn’t in the adjectives, it’s in the verbs.

Copywriters know power verbs sell and convince.

Internally, we have a list of 108 verbs that we’ve been using for a good decade, and we recently thought we should share it with proper credit to the original author.

We found that although the list is being recirculated (and in many cases claimed as original by several different authors!), the original author is, in fact, nowhere to be found.

So, if anyone knows who wrote this, we’d love to know!

With or without the original author, it’s still a great list…here it is!

According to legendary advertising man, Leo Burnet, “Dull and exaggerated ad copy is due to the excess use of adjectives.”

To prove it, he asked his staff to compare the number of adjectives in 62 ads that failed to the number of adjectives in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and other age-old classics.

Here’s what he discovered:

Of the 12,758 words in the 62 failed ads, 24.1% were adjectives.

By direct comparison, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains only 35 adjectives out of 268 immortal words – only 13.1% adjective-to-total-word ratio.

Winston Churchill’s famous “Blood, Sweat and Tears” speech rates even lower and has a 12.1% adjective ratio (81 adjectives from 667 words).

Burnett found that similar ratios applied to great works such as The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Conclusion: Use more verbs, not adjectives.

Verbs increase the pulling-power and believability of ad copy.

That’s why it makes sense to keep this 108-VERB “CHEAT-SHEET” close-by whenever you begin to draft your next space ad, sales letter, Website, or email campaign.

Still unsure how to incorporate these verbs into your marketing campaign? Or, perhaps, you just don’t have the time?

Then consider hiring a team of professional copywriters to do it for you! Talented advertising and marketing writers can take mediocre content and use power verbs to turn it into engaging copy that meets goals and produces results.

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3 thoughts on “ The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language ”

It is remarkable, very amusing piece

Hi there, love your website. I am a teacher and my kids love using your amazing verbs you have provided us with in their writing. Email me and I could send you some drafts of their writing – you’ll be blown away!

Catch up soon 🙂

Thanks, Hope Brown

Hi Hope! We are so happy to hear that our blog has helped you and your students. We would love to see some of their writing!

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Positive Words That Start With I

• DESCRIPTION Positive I words examples
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Here’s a little secret: when you focus on positivity all day, every day, your life is sure to take an immediate change for the better. Together, let’s start the journey with an immense list of positive words that start with I.

Positive I Words With 8 or Fewer Letters

How often do you consider your words to be positive or negative? The truth is, all of our words convey positive or negative connotations . Knowing this, why not choose words that empower other people and shed light (not shadows) on a situation? Explore some illuminating words that can be impactful to those around you.

Positive Words That Start With I: More Than 8 Letters

Positive words also come in handy when it’s time to write a cover letter. To write a creative cover letter that stands out , focus your opening line and imbue it with your skills. From innovations to idealists , enjoy these imaginative longer words and their interesting definitions and synonyms.

10 Example Sentences With I-Words

Now that you've looked at a few different positive words starting with the letter I, check out how you can use them in a sentence.

• Remember Audrey Hepburn’s iconic tiara from Breakfast at Tiffany’s ?
• The cozy fire adds to the idyllic setting.
• Tom Cruise’s illustrious personality is appealing on-set and off.
• She is going to immerse herself in Indian culture for one year.
• Those shoes are impeccable .
• I look forward to learning how to improve my Spanish.
• Look at the countless incredible stars in the night sky.
• The soldier was indefatigable , even in the face of defeat.
• She was so intuitive ; she could practically read his mind.
• Her grandmother’s stained glass window looked iridescent in the evening light.

How about taking a gander at a list of adjectives that start with I ? Some will be positive; some will not. See if you can spot the difference!

Intelligent Insights Abound

The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows. As you progress in this manner, the more you’ll develop intelligent insights into all manner of things. Why not continue to explore new words? Start back at the beginning of the series with these positive words that start with A . Or, stick with our current letter and check out this list of nouns that start with I . Then, review even more words that start with I . An invigorating vocabulary comes in quite handy whenever you’re sitting down to write your next short story or poem.

Words, Phrases, and Arguments to Use in Persuasive Writing

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Persuasive writing is tough for kids to get used to, especially if they’re not argumentative by nature. A few tools and shortcuts can help your child learn how to write well enough to convince someone (even you!) to change his mind about an issue that really matters to him or her.

Persuasive Strategies and Devices

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There are common persuasion techniques sometimes referred to as persuasive devices that can be used to back up an argument in writing . Knowing the names of the strategies and how they work can make it easier to remember them when it’s time to write. The five common persuasive strategies are:

• Pathos: Pathos involves using emotional language that is designed to draw the reader in and make them feel for you. For example: "If my allowance isn’t increased, I won’t be able to go out with my friends and do everything they do."
• Big Names: The big names strategy involves using the names of experts or well-known people who support your position. For example: "Dad agrees that increasing my allowance will..."
• Research and Logos: These strategies involve using studies, data, charts , illustrations, and logic to back up her position and points. For example: "As you can see in the pie chart, at my age the average child’s allowance is..."
• Ethos: The ethos strategy of persuasion involves using language that shows that the writer is trustworthy and believable. For example: "As you may recall, I’ve always been willing to put ten percent of my allowance in my bank account, thus..."
• Kairos: This type of argument creates a sense of urgency about how this is the right moment to act. For example: "If I don’t get an increase in my allowance today, I will miss out on the chance to..."

Phrases and Words to Use in Persuasive Writing

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Once your child has figured out the techniques she can use in her persuasive writing, she will need to find some words and phrases that help her to be convincing. Using phrases like "I think" or "It seems that" don’t convey a sense of confidence in her position. Instead, she needs to use word combinations that show how much she believes in what she is writing.

• Phrases to Illustrate a Point: For instance, for example, specifically, in particular, namely, such as, like
• Phrases to Introduce an Example:  For example, thus, as an example, in the instance of, in other words, to illustrate
• Phrases to Make Suggestions:  To this end, keeping this in mind, for this purpose, therefore
• Phrases to Transition Between Information: Also, furthermore, additionally, besides that, equally as important, similarly, likewise, as a result, otherwise, however
• Phrases to Contrast Points: On the other hand, nevertheless, despite, in spite of, yet, conversely, instead, by the same token
• Phrases for Conclusions and Summarizing: With this in mind, as a result of, because of this, for this reason, so, due to, since, finally, in short, in conclusion

Other Handy Phrases for Persuasive Writing

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Some phrases don’t easily fit into a category and are just good for general use in persuasive writing. Here are a few to remember:

• I am certain. . .
• I’m sure that you can see that . . .
• What needs to be done/what we need to do. . .
• I ask you to think about . . .
• I am writing in order to . . .
• Nevertheless . . .
• On the other hand . . .
• It has come to my attention that . . .
• If you move forward with . . .
• Obviously. . .
• Surely . . .
• Regardless . . .
• If [ ] were to happen, then . . .
• This can be fixed by . . .
• Although it may seem...
• Convince Me: A Persuasive Writing Activity
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• AP English Exam: 101 Key Terms
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• Definition and Examples of Ethos in Classical Rhetoric
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• What Is Expository Writing?

Big List of Positive Words That Start With I (Long, Short, Descriptive)

Looking for positive words that start with I? There are many words in the English language that start with the letter “I.” Some of these words are positive, while others can be seen as more negative. Today’s blog post will focus on positive “I” words. These words can be used to help motivate and encourage others. So, without further ado, let’s look at some of these inspiring words!

• Positive words that start with I
• Imaginative
• Intelligent
• Independent
• Industrious
• Invigorating
• Irreplaceable
• Influential
• Impenetrable
• Impassioned

Short positive words that start with I

Long positive words that start with i.

• Incandescent
• Informative
• Invulnerable
• Inventiveness
• Infallibility
• Infotainment
• Infatuation
• Idiosyncratic
• Instantaneous
• Industrial-strength
• Inexhaustible
• Introductory
• Impartiality
• Incontestable
• Indispensably
• Infrangible
• Immeasurable
• Indefatigable
• Indescribable
• Inexpensively
• Improvisational
• Insangelous
• Inspiriting
• Incantation
• Incomparability
• Integrating
• Incorruptible
• Impressiveness
• Indubitable
• Immunotherapy
• Ingratiating
• Irresistible
• Intriguingly
• Information
• Incontrovertible
• Imperturbable
• Inquisitive
• Irreproachable
• Intelligentsia
• Incomparable
• Indomitable
• Individuality
• Internalize

Positive verbs that start with I

When you identify something, you state what it is or what it represents. For example, you might identify a problem in your community that needs to be addressed.

When you ignore something, you choose not to pay attention to it or acknowledge it. For example, you might ignore a piece of advice that you don’t agree with.

When you illustrate something, you provide an example or create a visual representation. 

When you imply something, you suggest it without directly stating it. For example, if you say, “I’m hungry,” you imply that you want to eat something.

When you indicate something, you point it out or make it known. For example, if you indicate that someone is wearing a nice shirt, you are pointing out that their shirt is attractive.

When you interpret something, you explain its meaning or significance. For example, if someone says, “I’m feeling blue today,” you might interpret that they are feeling sad.

Investigate

For example, if there is a crime in your neighborhood, the police will investigate it to try and find the perpetrator.

For example, if a protest is happening in your town , you might involve yourself by attending or speaking out against the issue being protested.

Positive adjectives that start with I

• Interrogative
• Introverted

More adjectives that start with I .

Positive nouns that start with I

• Inspiration 
• Imagination 
• Invention 
• Infrastructure 
• Inspirational quote 
• Investment 
• Interesting fact 
• Incredible experience 
• Iconic symbol

Cool words that start with I

• Ignominious
• Ickle 
• Indigenous 
• Idiom 
• Ignoramus 
• Inceptive 
• Incognito 
• Innoxious 
• Interloper 
• Ironclad 
• Iron throne
• Integument 
• Illusion 

Negative Words That Starts With I

• Incompetence
• Impudence 
• Incontinence 
• Ill-advised
• Ill-mannered
• Illusionary
• Inappropriate

Slang Words That Starts With I (positive and negative)

• I am so down: This term is often used to express how someone is feeling. For example, if someone is feeling sad, they might say, “I am so down.”
• I’ma let you finish: This phrase was made famous by Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. He used it when Taylor Swift accepted her Best Female Video award.
• Ice ice baby: These famous words were sung by rapper Vanilla Ice in his song of the same name.
• Illuminati confirmed: This phrase is often used as a joke when someone sees something that they believe confirms that the Illuminati exists.
• Inceptioned: This term was popularized by the movie Inception, and it refers to when someone has been tricked into believing something that is not real.
• It’s lit: This slang term describes something exciting or cool.
• I’m shook: This phrase is used to express shock or disbelief.
• I’m tryna: This phrase is used to say someone is trying to do something. For example, if someone is trying to get a job, they might say, “I’m tryna get hired.
• It’s all good: This phrase is used to reassure someone that everything is okay .
• Instafood: This term is used to describe a picture of food someone posted on Instagram.
• I’m low-key: To describe someone who is not very outgoing or loud.12. init: short for initially
• I’m just sayin’: This phrase is used to preface a statement that the speaker knows might be controversial
• IRL : short for in real life
• Idk : short for I don’t know
• ig: short for Instagram
• I’mma: This slang term is used in place of the word “I am going to.” For example, someone might say “I’mma get a drink” to mean “I am going to get a drink.
• It’s lit fam: This phrase describes something exciting or cool. It is often used as a hashtag on social media.
• Itchy Foot: This term is used to describe the feeling of wanting to travel .
• I’m outie: This phrase indicates that someone is leaving.

Sports Words That Starts With the letter I

• Igloo: A dome-shaped structure of snow and ice, typically built by Eskimos as a dwelling.
• Ingot: A solid block, typically of metal, cast in a mold .
• Inning: One of nine divisions of play in baseball or softball.
• Interleague: Competition between teams from different leagues in professional baseball, hockey, or basketball.
• Islander: A person from an island or lives on an island.
• Interior: The inside surface or coverings of something.
• Internship: A period of training and work experience related to a particular field or occupation undertaken as part of the education process.
• Intraparty: Competition within a political party for the nomination to be that party’s candidate in an election.
• Invoice: A document sent by a seller to a buyer, typically indicating the quantity and cost of goods or services bought.
• Irregular: Not normal, usual, or expected.

Positive words that start with I to describe a person

• Independent: An independent person is someone who is not reliant on others and is capable of taking care of themselves. They are self-sufficient and do not need anyone else to care for them.
• Intelligent: An intelligent person is someone who can think critically and solve problems effectively. They are quick-witted and have a sharp minds.
• Insightful: An insightful person has a deep understanding of the world around them. They can see things from multiple perspectives and have a keen understanding of human behavior.
• Intuitive: An intuitive person is someone who can understand things without having to be told. They have a strong intuition and can often sense what others think or feel.
• Innovative: An innovative person is creative and comes up with new ideas. They are always looking for ways to improve existing ideas and constantly coming up with new solutions to problems.
• Industrious: An industrious person is someone hardworking and diligent. They are always working towards their goals and are not afraid of putting in the extra work to achieve success.
• Inspiring: An inspiring person is someone who motivates others to be their best selves. They have a positive outlook on life and radiate positivity wherever they go .

Example sentences using positive words that start with I

• Suzy is an independent girl.
• The CEO came up with an innovative idea to disrupt the accounting industry.
• Many were amazed by the imaginative mind of Craster.
• Raina was known for her intuitive decisions.
• She is the most intelligent person I know in school.
• Her knowledge in interpreting dreams is spot-on.
• The spider was itsy bitsy.
• She is innocent, she had no part in the crime.

So there you have it, over 200 positive words that start with I. Next time you need a pick-me-up or some motivation, come back to this list and choose one (or more!) of these words to help shift your perspective.

Positive words that start with I (images)

Other positive word lists

Other lists of positive words:

• Positive words that start with A
• Positive words that start with B
• Positive words that start with C
• Positive words that start with D
• Positive words that start with E
• Positive words that start with F
• Positive words that start with G
• Positive words that start with H
• Positive words that start with J
• Positive words that start with K
• Positive words that start with L
• Positive words that start with M
• Positive words that start with N
• Positive words that start with O
• Positive words that start with P
• Positive words that start with Q
• Positive words that start with R
• Positive words that start with S
• Positive words that start with T
• Positive words that start with U
• Positive words that start with V
• Positive words that start with W
• Positive words that start with X
• Positive words that start with Y
• Positive words that start with Z

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Learn from the experts.

The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of interesting persuasive essay ideas here! )

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Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top persuasive essay writing examples.

Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf

Sample lines: “Outwardly, what is simpler than to write books? Outwardly, what obstacles are there for a woman rather than for a man? Inwardly, I think, the case is very different; she has still many ghosts to fight, many prejudices to overcome. Indeed it will be a long time still, I think, before a woman can sit down to write a book without finding a phantom to be slain, a rock to be dashed against. And if this is so in literature, the freest of all professions for women, how is it in the new professions which you are now for the first time entering?”

The Crisis by Thomas Paine

Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”

Politics and the English Language by George Orwell

Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”

Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert

Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

Sample lines: “Methinks I hear some of you say, must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.”

The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sample lines: “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work—the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside—the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once.”

Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson

Sample lines: “I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. … Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. … We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him. It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories.”

Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr

Sample lines: “Humanity will, therefore, be confronted with dangers of unprecedented character unless, in due time, measures can be taken to forestall a disastrous competition in such formidable armaments and to establish an international control of the manufacture and use of the powerful materials.”

Persuasive Speech Writing Examples

Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917

Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”

Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”

I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela

Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”

Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech

Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”

The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez

Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”

Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai

Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”   

Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns

Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.

Nike: Just Do It

The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports-star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.

Dove: Real Beauty

Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.

Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?

Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.

De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.

Volkswagen: Think Small

Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.

American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It

AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.

Skittles: Taste the Rainbow

These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.

Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It

Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.

Coca-Cola: Share a Coke

Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.

Always: #LikeaGirl

Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.   

Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples

Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)

Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”

What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)

Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”

America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)

Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”

The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)

Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”

If We Want Wildlife To Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)

Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”   

Persuasive Review Writing Examples

Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.

The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)

Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Washington Post, 1999)

Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”

Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)

Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”

To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)

Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”

The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)

Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”   

What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

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101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

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Copyblogger

Most Persuasive Words and Phrases for Copywriting (and How to Use Them)

When it comes to assembling persuasive words for copywriting, like any other construction job, you need to rely on your skills, experience, and toolbox .

The toolbox of the writer is filled with words.

In defining what I believe is a critical element of effective copywriting , I’ll make my case by amending the famous quote from Animal Farm:

“All words are equal, but some words are more equal than others.”

And there are certain power words that hold more sway over our decision-making process than others. You might be surprised to find that these “power words” don’t seem … well, all that powerful.

This speaks to just how damned efficient they are. Simple language is crystal-clear, as we’ve learned from Brian’s article How to Write like Hemingway . And these compelling words make just what you want your reader to do  clear.

Warning: I can’t stress enough, though — just as in the application of writing headlines that work — you must understand why these words are persuasive. You can’t forget to use them in the contexts that make sense for your audience and your business. If you just start slapping them on every piece of content you create for no apparent reason, you’ll quickly see just how unpersuasive they can be.

There, you’ve been warned. Now, let’s get on with the show …

How do you make a sentence more persuasive?

Before you can make a sentence more persuasive, you have to intimately know who you’re talking to in your content and copy. That’s why these words don’t work if you just blindly start using them. You’ll actually combine them with your research about your prospects.

Making a sentence more compelling is all about adding persuasive language to otherwise vague sentences. The more specific you can be, the more the reader will feel like you’ve written your content specifically for them. Then you sprinkle in known persuasive words to keep your reader hooked.

Ready to check out top persuasive words and sentences?

The 5 most persuasive words in the English language for copywriting

You might be surprised to learn that the most persuasive words in the English language are actually quite simple. Simple, but highly effective.

The persuading words list below (along with studies related to their power) will show you how to speak more persuasively to your audience.

There’s an often-cited study in the copywriting world. It’s about a piece of Yale research that reveals “You” to be the #1 power word out of a supposed 12.

Despite the fact that the study likely never happened , I have some actual research that reveals the power of invoking the self.

As it turns out, while people might like the word “you,” it is guaranteed that they love reading their own name much more.

According to research examining brain activation , few things light us up quite like seeing our own names in print or on the screen. Our names are intrinsically tied to our self-perception and make up a massive part of our identity. No surprise then, that we become more engaged and even more trusting of a message in which our name appears.

Research has shown that we will gladly pay more for personalization . So, isn’t it about time you start getting personal with your customers?

However, there is one small problem with this finding …

Writing general web copy with name utilization in mind isn’t usually possible. But by capitalizing on the power of permission marketing, you can adapt this strategy easily. Emails are greatly enhanced when they start off messages with a customer’s name.

If you maintain a variety of separate lists for your products (and you should), make sure you’re grabbing the first name. This way, your broadcasts can trigger that personal aspect with customers.

Want us to scale your traffic?

For the first time, The Copyblogger methodology is now available to a select few clients. We know it works. We’ve been doing it since 2006.

Everybody loves free.

People love free stuff so much they’ll actually make different choices, even when the respective value of the item or service remains the same.

Dan Ariely revealed this startling fact in his book Predictably Irrational . He examined a very unusual “battle” between Lindt chocolate truffles and Hershey’s Kisses.

To test the power of the word “free” in relation to concrete value, the study first asked people to choose between a 1-cent Hershey Kiss or a 15-cent Lindt truffle. (That’s about half of the truffle’s actual value, and Lindt is generally considered a richer, superior chocolate).

Here were the results:

In other words, tastes were found to be very much in favor for the truffle. I mean, who’s going to pass up a deal, right?

Later though, another random group of subjects seemingly flipped on their opinion of these two treats. Ariely revealed that when the price was reduced by one cent for both brands (meaning the Kiss was now free), people altered their choices drastically.

With the new prices, here were the results:

Although in the first test it appears we simply can’t pass up a deal, as it turns out, we really can’t pass up a steal . Although the relation in prices remained the same (a 14 cent difference between the two), people chose the Kiss far more often when it was free.

Ariely points to loss aversion (our disdain for losing out on things) and our natural instinct to go after “low hanging fruit” as the reasons why we are so susceptible to snatching up free stuff.

Use free only when it makes sense, and only in the right context

There’s a certain inherent danger in trumpeting free things. Having something for free will attract more people. But that will most certainly include a fair share of “bargain hunters” who aren’t likely to turn into the superstar customers who really grow your business.

Emphasizing the “freeness” of your free guides, courses, information, support, etc., can go a long way in attracting attention. On Sparring Mind , I emphasize the fact that my newsletter is “free to join,” because although most marketers understand this, many folks don’t quite understand what it means to subscribe.

Conversely, you should use minimal pricing to keep out those barnacle customers who aren’t ideal long-term buyers, or who aren’t truly suited for your flagship offerings.

In a study from the classic book Influence by Robert Cialdini, tests were conducted on requests from a person in a hurry to use an in-office copy machine. The tests examined how different requests might affect people’s willingness to allow this person to “cut” in line.

In the first test, the participant simply stated:

“Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”

In this scenario, around 60% of people allowed him to cut in line and use the machine first.

In the next scenario, the request was slightly tweaked. This time the participant said:

“I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine, because I am in a rush?”

Did you see the ever-so-subtle difference between the two?

Let’s break down this experiment with one of the most persuasive words.

Not only was the request only minimally changed, but the “because” (his reason) was barely a reason at all! “Because I’m in a rush” wouldn’t stand up as a good excuse for most of us, right? Isn’t a majority of the working world in a rush?

Despite what we might like to believe, around 94% of people allowed him to cut in line this time! If you think that’s strange, check out the request used in the 3rd and final test:

“Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make copies?”

That went from having a barely passable reason to absolutely no reason at all for letting the man cut. In spite of this, 93% of people let him cut on this third trial. That’s only a 1% drop from when he had a weak reason (“I’m in a rush”) and a 33% improvement vs. the first test.

According to Cialdini:

“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”

Here’s the bottom line

Many companies are proud of the features that their product (or service) can offer. That’s fine, but you have to remember that when you’re focusing on writing persuasive copy, it all comes down to answering your customer’s #1 question:

What’s in it for me?

Although “because” may appear to have some sort of brainwashing effect on people at Xerox machines, it’s only really a matter of reasoning. Even giving weak reasons have been shown to be more persuasive than giving no reason at all.

Only trumpet features and product traits you’re proud of when they help make your point. Use them to create an incentive for customers to take action. And use “because” when pointing out these compelling reasons, but don’t rely on it as a crutch.

4. Instantly

Delayed gratification is an important subject among neuroscientists. Many famous studies (such as the Stanford marshmallow experiment ) showcase how being able to delay rewards to a later date is a skill needed to become successful. (I know very few entrepreneurs who would argue against that.)

This interests us as marketers because it reveals an interesting aspect of human nature …

We want things yesterday!

Several MRI studies have shown just how fired up our mid-brain gets when we envision instant rewards. It’s our frontal cortex that’s activated when it comes to waiting for something (that’s a no-no for sales).

Words like “instant,” “immediately,” or even “fast” are triggers for flipping the switch on that mid-brain activity.

If you are in the business of selling web-based software, you already have an advantage here. “Instant access” isn’t a vague promise; it’s often the reality.

For those in the physical products or services business, using persuasive words and phrases to remind customers that they’ll receive their product quickly (or someone will get in touch with them ASAP) can go a long way. It can be the gentle push they need to buy.

We’ve seen how even “tightwad customers” can be swayed. These subtle changes in language to create persuasion sentences insinuate fast pain removal. It’s a reliable tactic for converting more prospects into customers as long as you follow the one golden rule …

Always deliver on your promises

And, whenever possible, overdeliver .

This is an area where many business get too optimistic. Although it’s smart to emphasis these instant rewards, it’s also always a good idea to under-promise and over-deliver. Be sure you can actually follow through on your promises, or you may end up with a “tribe” that hates your guts.

This one almost seems paradoxical.

According to neuroimaging research , we actually respond more favorably to recognized brands, and can have a hefty amount of disdain for any drastic changes. (Remember New Coke? Oh, the horror …)

On the other hand, it’s long been known that novelty plays an incredibly important role in activating our brains’ reward centers and in keeping us content with our products.

“Newness” is important to products, especially because research has shown that they age far more quickly than “experiential” purchases. (In other words, you’ll hate your new headphones in two years, but that concert you went to five years ago probably aged in your mind like a fine wine.)

How can you achieve a zen-like balance against these two contradictory sides of the same word?

The important things to consider here are which parts of your business generate trust, and which parts generate utility. It’s your brand that creates trust. And as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Your products however are what customers get utility out of. Stagnant offerings are your first class ticket to an abysmally bored user base.

Your core brand elements like your unique selling proposition , dazzling customer service , and quality offering in the marketplace should be approached with excessive caution if things are going well.

With your products, it’s far easier to excite customers with new features and polish. Even if things don’t work out perfectly, a majority of customers will appreciate innovation attempts over no progression at all.

New fixes to old problems, new features and improvements, a fresh new design, or even new ways of getting your message out there are all essential. They keep customers “on their toes,” without losing the trust that has cemented you as an awesome brand in their mind.

Powerful, persuasive phrases and sentences

We just covered a lot, so take all the time you need to study those lessons.

When you’re ready to keep going, here are 20 more trigger words and phrases to supercharge your copy at the exact right moment when you need to connect with your reader.

To introduce your topic

• Picture this …
• Although it’s commonly believed …
• When was the last time you …?
• I’m sure you’ve heard of [blank], but …
• Ready to discover a new way to …?

To make a point

• Also …
• In other words …
• Therefore …
• Supporting evidence shows …
• I reached this conclusion after finding …

To support your point

• For example …
• Especially in this case …
• In fact …
• According to this study …
• Independent test results show …

To end your case

• In conclusion …
• To wrap things up …
• As you understand by now …
• Try [blank] for yourself, if you want to see similar results.

Now it’s your turn to experiment with persuasive copywriting words …

You know your audience better than anyone else. So, what type of persuasive language strikes a chord with your prospects?

Keep digging deeper and experimenting to find out how to connect with more people who are the perfect fit for your products or services.

Gregory Ciotti

Gregory Ciotti is the marketing strategist at Help Scout , the invisible email support software for small businesses who love taking care of customers. Get more data-driven content from Greg by visiting the Help Scout blog .

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Reader Interactions

Reader comments (182).

December 6, 2012 at 6:58 am

I often listen when the the word “Appreciate” is used. It’s a word often used by Mr. Nelson Mandela.

December 6, 2012 at 10:16 am

Meet you out the back.

December 9, 2012 at 1:37 pm

Interesting… why do you think that is? I would imagine that “appreciate” has some really meaningful connections to our ego.

December 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm

Not too sure if your prescriptions (which do make sense to me) are universally applicable, especially as regards the words ‘free’ and ‘new’. For some audiences in the UK and Ireland these two words can have negative connotations. ‘Free’, for example can be associated with ‘shoddy’ or ‘valueless’ or ‘they wouldn’t be giving it away for free if it was any good’; while ‘new’ can give the impression that the product is ‘untested’.

December 22, 2012 at 5:01 pm

I wouldn’t have agreed with you but last year a friend put an ad for free poodle puppies in the paper and didn’t get one response. She then put in an ad to sell them for $100 each and they were gone in a week.

May 30, 2013 at 10:48 am

Lisa, that goes back to the piece on understanding why these words work and using them in the right situations. For example, a free ebook is a nice benefit that captivates my attention. However, free puppies makes me think there’s probably something heinously wrong with them. A dog is such a long term valued investment that it almost doesn’t seem right to acquire one for free, which sparks suspicion and mistrust

July 23, 2013 at 10:26 am

Lisa – free, for some, means too good to be true. By having a value people can understand response is bound to be higher.

December 6, 2012 at 7:23 am

You presented some interesting research here because it is fascinating to learn how we are converted.

I don’t write persuasive copy, but I will start using some these words more often in my blogging.

Perhaps I can use this type of language to help persuade more people to comment.

December 6, 2012 at 8:30 am

I’m in the same boat as you, lacking persuasive copy. I also enjoyed seeing the psychology behind how we make decisions and are converted to the message.

December 6, 2012 at 9:34 am

Thanks Iain!

I would also add that you ARE writing persuasive copy, even if you don’t write sales pages, because any business related writing will at *least* have the simple goals of getting people to read all the way through and then take some sort of action when they’re finished.

So give yourself some credit. 😉

December 6, 2012 at 5:54 pm

Thanks for the support.

You are right. Business writing is persuasive writing, It revolves around persuading your boss, or persuading a colleague, and not selling a product per se. Selling your boss on an idea is converting a lead I guess.

Perhaps I feel am not writing persuasive copy, but in reality I am.

Again, great work.

December 9, 2012 at 1:39 pm

Definitely! Persuasion is really in all aspects of our lives, including how we persuade ourselves. 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 8:28 am

A surprising piece that is nicely done, and I notice that you model the strategies nicely in your own writing, with “you need,” for example. “You” in the number one position was especially surprising since it counters everything we’ve been taught in other types of writing. Teachers always scold when if you adopt the second person, but what you say makes perfect sense in engaging the reader. As a university English professor, unfortunately, I still have to teach this because all of the other professors while criticize the use of “you.” I guess it all depends on your purpose in writing, the audience’s needs and expectations.

The others were less surprising except “because,” which struck me as unusual at first. However, you make clear how the word establishes the significance of the message for the reader. These are all things that we are not normally conscious of, and therefore very helpful to consider. Thank you.

December 6, 2012 at 11:34 am

I don’t remember where or explicitly what, but I recently read an article that commented on writing as taught in school as being suitable only for the academic community. The gist was that this ‘formal’ writing didn’t actually communicate with the world outside academia and that an ‘informal’ style that used contractions and other speech-like forms did a better job with sales, instructional material, etc.

December 6, 2012 at 3:52 pm

I do not doubt it, and the battle is often fought between the sciences and humanities in higher education. The sciences tend to be prescriptive with language and writing, wanting to freeze academic language in time while the humanities lean towards the descriptive (a little bit), believing that languages change over time. The main objective is to communicate your purpose and message to an audience effectively.

The real difficulty lies in determining where the boundaries are drawn. With too much freedom, communication is hindered, but with excessive restriction comes the scene as you describe it. I like the approach taken in Gregory’s article where he focuses strictly on his purpose, message, and reader.

Thanks for your insight , Amki,

December 9, 2012 at 1:42 pm

Great points Darin, really appreciate your thoughts.

I would clarify on “You” just a bit: it obviously isn’t appropriate for certain styles of writing, but in this instance I actually use “You” in reference to the self, that is, your *name* is actually one of the most important words in your own mind.

December 9, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Hey, thank you for the follow up and clarification, Gregory. It’s great when bloggers participate in the conversation! Looking forward to reading more of your writing.

December 6, 2012 at 10:35 am

I thought I was all high and mighty because I read Cialdini (by the way – it’s the first time I’ve seen him being mentioned on a blog, you have my respect for this one). But I was only using the first three words, so thanks for the help. I always enjoy the down-to-earth, no-bull**** way in which you write articles. It makes it much easier to remember the pieces of information you give out. Keep it up! 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 11:04 am

If you like Cialdini, check out this series of posts I wrote in 2006, when Copyblogger was only 3 months old. 😉

https://copyblogger.com/blog-triggers/

December 7, 2012 at 3:30 am

Hey, thanks a lot Brian! I can’t wait to read it:) And of course, I’ll give feedback. Cheers!

December 9, 2012 at 1:44 pm

This is a great segment, Cialdini’s is almost a *must* reference in these sorts of articles, and Brian covers his book really well here on CB. 🙂

I’m flattered! (And flattery goes a long way with me! ;))

December 6, 2012 at 10:45 am

Great stuff! I’d like to nominate a sixth word: SAVE. When people are buying something, they’re often more interested in getting a good deal than paying a low price, and SAVE implies that they are indeed getting a deal. People also like to save things other than money, like time and effort. Do you have any research supporting the power of SAVE?

Thanks for a very insightful post!

December 9, 2012 at 1:46 pm

Really like this one John.

I like it so much that I think I’ll have to look around for some research on the subject!

That’s the best part about citing research in my opinion, not to break new ground, but to verify things we already suspect, a la:

“Normal science does not aim at novelty but at clearing up the status quo. It discovers what it expects to discover.” – Thomas Kuhn

I”ll get back to you if I find anything. 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 11:01 am

Good stuff Gregory. Interesting point on the danger of free attracting the wrong kind of customer. I’m sure the 80/20 rule applies here.

I also like the words “check”, “how”, “why”, “try” and “value”. They can certainly be persuasive.

December 9, 2012 at 1:47 pm

Why do you consider “check” and “why” to be persuasive words? Curious about those two choices…

I agree with John Pohl that “save” is a good word. I also like “now”, “hurry”, & “limited”. I enjoyed this article and look forward to more.

December 9, 2012 at 1:48 pm

This is very true, in fact in our e-Book I cover the importance of urgency (and follow-up instructions) that cites some interesting research on the matter. You should check it out 😉

December 6, 2012 at 11:16 am

Just expanding on the word ‘you’ a bit further, it is particularly effective when used with certain simple (but also powerful) verbs, e.g. you’ll have you’ll get you’ll save (as mentioned in the comment above) you’ll find you’ll discover

December 6, 2012 at 11:48 am

Kevin –

I might add that from a sub-conscious perspective, the contraction you’ll implies you will have in the future…

A better word would be to put them into the present tense, such as “you have” or “you get”… present tense will allow themselves to visualize already owning the product, and mentally they will already own the proverbial set of keys to the car, making it that much easier for them to plop down money

December 6, 2012 at 11:37 am

FREE I’m starting to get suspicious of that word. I’ve jumped through hoops only to determine that “free” meant: – Free 7-day limited trial – Free to register and look at titles but accessing anything costs money – EXTREMELY limited access. I wanted to convert a 166-page PDF and went to a “free” site. After giving all of my contact info and doing the confirmation email, I converted the file and … oops … “free” means 3 pages. My other 163 pages would have cost me about $10. I was irritated by then that I left the site and blocked the domain fomr ever coming up in future Google searches.

I don’t chase free things because I’m cheap. Often I have legit interest in something and the marketing just irritates me because they’re being slimy.

Marketers need to be judicious about what they call “free” because consumers are learning to put bogus or even offensive data into online forms just to peek over the wall and see if the marketer is really delivering what they are touting. Now, what good is the data that’s been collected?

December 6, 2012 at 3:05 pm

Absolutely agree — it all has to be in context. If you’re in a context of providing solid value with content + you’re getting good word of mouth over social platforms, “Free” is something your audience will feel they can trust. But all of these classic persuasive power words are used extensively by businesses that are dodgy or spammy, as well.

“Free” will feel trustworthy to your audience when they know they can trust you, in other words. 🙂

December 7, 2012 at 8:29 am

Developing trust! YESSSSS! I think this is more important than the 5 Most Persuasive Words. So many marketers are abusing these words. Yes, there are studies showing that the words work. But will they work in the long run?

If you look up ‘banner blindness’ is shows a habit that people have for consciously and subconsciously being blind to ads. We’ve been trained. Ads not only try to sell to us, they also have a history of being associated with malware, pop-up storms, endless redirects, etc.

SImilarly, we can be trained to be suspicious of words like free and instantly. We might be “persuaded” but then we can be “trained” to click on something and stay there long enough to determine there’s something useful or just bait to build their list and load users into an auto-responder.

Marketers are going to have to do more to cultivate trust. This will ensure that the persuasive words remain persuasive or, they can turn into warning flags.

December 8, 2012 at 9:09 am

Also, it wasn’t brought up that maybe the reason the $.15 sold over the $.01 is perceived value.

What would happen if Hershey raised their prices to $.15 or even $.30? Some people, like myself, like to pay extra for the good stuff. So if something is more expensive there can be more perceived value…

December 10, 2012 at 10:53 am

Perhaps the word “Free” would create less suspicion if it came with a “Because”.

December 6, 2012 at 11:42 am

Gregory –

A well formed story, and your final 2 points highlight my own – that you made this an interesting exercise to practice putting these words together into a sentence or two, which is exactly what I did as I posted this to facebook… I used all 5 words in two sentences, that will become clear to my friends after they read it.

As I started your article, the first book I thought of was “How to win friends and Influence people”, our names are our most important power word, and your tie in with mailing lists was spot on with that.

Thanks for sharing such a succinct and insightful article.

December 6, 2012 at 11:52 am

Something positive about a negative…not exactly what you asked for:

It always intrigues me that ‘need’ is NOT a trigger word. While it is always emphasized that buying is an emotional process based on desire and not logic, it seems to me that need would be at least equally motivational emotionally.

I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I think that says something about my own logical processes. 😉

December 6, 2012 at 12:01 pm

I’d like to nominate ‘GET’. Because everybody wants something. As always, a very helpful post, Brian. Happy Holidays!

December 6, 2012 at 4:47 pm

Heh, “everybody wants something”, maybe the understatement of the century. 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Great article You & Your – such powerful words, but how many websites talk about them?

December 6, 2012 at 2:28 pm

The analysis around the word free was really interesting. I’d like to think that I’m smart enough to see through the marketing when it comes to free stuff, but either I’m really naive about how I really think, or I’m in the minority. I don’t tend to offer free stuff because I think that people tend to see through it. but maybe it’s just me! Might make me reconsider making free offers in future.

January 9, 2013 at 11:49 am

Good points Dave, but I think we become susceptible to these words during situations where they aren’t directly on our minds.

For instance, reading this post, these words seem “too obvious” to be effective, but out and about in the real world when we aren’t consciously thinking about them, they’re able to influence us.

December 6, 2012 at 2:55 pm

A surprisingly short post for you, Greg, but just as excellent as ever!

We recently started using customer names in our email blasts. I don’t have any numbers yet, but we are definitely seeing more conversions. Getting intimate works, plain and simple.

Personally, I like using “right now” in my copy. I use it mostly because I know it usually gets me to buy, so hey, it should work for others! And based on the psychology behind “instantly,” it all makes more sense. 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 4:46 pm

Agree 100%, I always try to attach some form of “time limit” to actions I’d like for people to take. Given people’s reluctance to come back to things a second time, any language that urges action within the next few minutes is key. 🙂

December 6, 2012 at 3:04 pm

I’m not sure I agree with the use of a person’s name – in advertising copy, it seems manipulative to me when I see it. Especially if it’s in an email from someone who I know has no idea who the hell I am (and that goes double if they’ve spelled my name wrong). But then, I’m in marketing, so I’m probably a tougher audience. People in general are more cynical and aware of marketing “tricks” than they used to be, though. It’d be interesting to see how some of those stats have changed over time!

December 6, 2012 at 3:08 pm

Laurie, that’s why we don’t personalize the emails at Copyblogger — our audience of marketers sees that and thinks, “Ad.” Normal people are less likely to do that. 🙂

September 11, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Our target audience are mechanics, and used to be video store owners (still is, but less these days).

We’ve had people respond to our emails as if we’d sent them directly, so I agree marketers are more skeptical. We also noticed (and we never figured out why), that the mechanics (or their assistants) tend to post correct info including the phone number, whereas the video store people gave us bogus info. Perhaps we’re saying something wrong on the download page. I’ll be checking into that after this article, Thanks.

December 6, 2012 at 3:10 pm

Hi Gregory, great post. I’m a huge fan of using “you” in copy. Why? Because it’s the equivalent of using someone’s first name in a mass communication. Yes, actually using their first name would provide a better result, but using “you” as a first name alternative gets nearly the same results.

December 6, 2012 at 4:44 pm

Thanks Joe, I’d agree that on a large scale, it’s the best way to go, I was just tired of that fake “study” getting passed around the web 😉

December 6, 2012 at 3:15 pm

Very interesting article and well researched. Here’s a tip to make your chocolate graphics even better: 15 cents should be $.15 or 15¢ (.15¢ means 15/100 or 3/20 of 1 cent). Ditto for the other amounts. Thanks!

December 6, 2012 at 3:25 pm

While using certain words is important I think its more important if you speak with conviction as people will pay more attention to what you say.

January 9, 2013 at 11:52 am

Very true! In fact there is research on things like confidence + persuasion, and many studies point to conviction playing a HUGE role in persuasive speaking and arguments.

December 6, 2012 at 4:38 pm

Ian, Thanks! I found this article to be helpful with the work I need to do on a daily basis. Writing persuasively is so difficult because you don’t get the chance to listen before making your argument.

Oh, how I fought the “you need” in a Tweet the other day.

Days went by and that hashtag my name and what I needed to do rolled around in my head. Finally and against my will my curiosity got the best of me. I clicked the website. When the “you need” is hard wired to my core interest and there is not even the slightest whiff of spam anywhere to be found, I was a goner. You’ve got to hate that. Or, you’ve got to figure out how to use it. Your call.

P.S. The person blew it though. You get to the site and it is miles away from the implication and someone just burned a bridge. The one that leads me to take ” you need” seriously. It is like a vaccination. Next time the bug has a harder time. Or, no shot at all.

December 6, 2012 at 4:59 pm

I agree with your list of words if our goal is to sell. I’ve taught advertsing and understand the basics of writing great headlines and copy. As a blogger, I’m creative and try to be sincere. I shudder to feel like I have to use advertising tactics to simply get more traffic, but I guess it comes with the territory.

January 9, 2013 at 11:50 am

I think it’s very possible to be persuasive and sincere at the same time Dan. It’s sometimes tough when we feel like we may be going “too far”, but as long as everything is honest, it’s okay to utilize this information to get people to take action.

December 6, 2012 at 5:05 pm

All good ideas and reminders. I too am suspicious of “free” yet really like “because” as folks like an explanation.

December 6, 2012 at 5:06 pm

persuasive indeed….how about words like “essential” or ‘vital” and “now”

December 6, 2012 at 7:22 pm

Thanks Greg. Great post. I saw four of the five coming but I have to admit I would never have picked ‘Because’. But it makes sense. Now to make sure that I keep these words in the back of my mind when writing. Cheers!

December 6, 2012 at 10:08 pm

One of my new power words is “Quickly”. I borrowed it from an ad for a competing hypnosis firm. 😉

December 7, 2012 at 12:58 am

The most powerful 3 letter word in the the English language is YET http://www.nylaw2law.blogspot.com/search/label/Power%20of%20Yet

December 7, 2012 at 3:01 am

Your piece is not just full of persuasive copy; it has a very persuasive headline too. I spotted it in Twitter and immediately wanted to know what those 5 words were – and I read right through to the end. In fact, I have even forgotten why I went to Twitter in the first case. Nice article 😉

December 7, 2012 at 11:37 am

Why thank ya! I actually can’t take credit for the headline this time around, the CB team came up with that gem. 🙂

December 7, 2012 at 5:00 am

Amazon once ran a promotion – free delivery when you make a 2nd book purchase. This was very successful in every country apart from France. The marketing department looked into it and found that the program had been slightly altered in France. The French offer charged 20 cents for shipping when customers made a 2nd purchase. Monetarily, the promotions are almost indistinguishable but the 20c offer did not perform…it just doesn’t have the power of FREE. http://www.webcontentwriter.co.uk/website-copywriter-reveals-2-most-powerful-web-words/

Very familiar with this study and I’ve written about it before too! Great minds must think alike 😉

December 7, 2012 at 5:28 am

Indivdually, each of these words appeals to a certain kind of person. If we use the Eisenberg Modes of Persuasion as a guide, we can assign each to a different mode.

“You” – Humanists are relationship oriented. When your voice shifts from “We” and “our company” and you speak to them in the first person, it feels more human — and more Humanistic.

“Free” – This word appeals to the Spontaneous reader. These visitors are just looking for an excuse to take action.

“Because” – Methodicals want to understand the details. They make decisions deliberately and logically. Credible proof is important.

“Instantly” – This also appeals to our Spontaneous reader, who wants immmediate gratification.

“New” – This appeals to the Competitive, who wants to know what will make them better. New technologies, new versions, new looks get their attention.

So, two of the words are very Spontaneous, and we tend to act spontaneously when we’ve decided to buy something. So, “Free” and “Instantly” are probably good “bottom of the funnel” words.

December 7, 2012 at 10:53 am

I’m going to start using “because” more when I’m in a rush. I think I’ll still get scolded, especially in the grocery store line in Philly.

December 7, 2012 at 3:49 pm

Thanks Greg (can I call ya Greg?)

It’s cool to read WHY those words we use in our copy actually work – and why sometimes they can be used incorrectly.

December 7, 2012 at 6:38 pm

Great article and great feedback.

I liked your action items at the end, asking for comments as well as offering your “10 Ways…” with a great reason. I’m going to use this reason with some of my offers. (Hope that’s OK)

A number of months ago I felt that I was writing too much copy with “you” in it and decided to switch to “we” instead.

Based on your article, I think I will go back to these articles and compare my reader engagement. It will be interesting to see if there is a difference.

December 7, 2012 at 9:16 pm

When you’re venturing into “because” land, try also using “so that” so that you can easily describe cause/effect relationships that enhance the persuasiveness of a message.

I’ve heard this discussed before, placing the connection between action and outcome more clearly… will have to look into that a little more…

December 7, 2012 at 9:43 pm

These are really interesting. I love that because is on the list.

December 8, 2012 at 1:13 am

I would like to politely disagree Gregory my man.

Five more persuasive words:

– Freeze! – Bomb! – Duck! – Run! – Three! (after dad had already said “….1…. 2…..”)

Great post bro. Always enjoy your research.

December 8, 2012 at 11:21 am

Good one! And you know what? You point to the fact that the context is really what’s important. The words happen inside a context. Do I want to see “free” at a plastic surgeon’s website? Oh, Lord!

December 9, 2012 at 1:53 pm

Ehhhh… a “free” consultation might be persuasive… but I definitely get what you’re saying. 🙂

December 9, 2012 at 1:52 pm

This guy right here…

That was a roller-coaster of a comment, I was initially so distraught that his royal highness didn’t agree with my post 😉

For more flavor, I’d add “BANZAI!”, heh.

December 9, 2012 at 10:58 pm

Ha ha you clown.

December 8, 2012 at 1:26 am

You can also use the word ESPECIALLY to justify a call to action. Unlike because,you can use ESPECIALLY to confirm your reader’s justification for wanting a particular product or service. Thank you for the practical advice and theory,especially the referenced academic studies.

December 8, 2012 at 2:29 am

You nailed it! A very good blog on the subject of writing persuasive texts. I would like to add that these words, in combination ith the three modalities that people perceive the wworld surrounding them is even more powerful. So like for people who think (mostly) in terms of pictures: Imaging yourself being… For those who act based upon their (gut?) feelings: You can feel yourself … For those that think in terms of words: You can hear the apraisal from your friends now that you…

Of course, combining these makes a post for all readers interesting

December 8, 2012 at 3:08 am

Thank you! A fan of words, I enjoyed this post very much; very interesting and inspiring.

December 8, 2012 at 9:21 am

Hello, my two cents, or should I say my $.02? … 🙂

Great article. Way to put 5 great topics into one short and to-the-point blog.

One phrase I’m trying is “CLICK HERE” and seeing if that works. From what I have learned, some people like to be told what to do. You lead them through the process while giving the impression that all choices are made by YOU. I thought it was a great comment about how in English class we are taught not to use “You” or “I” but to write academically. I guess it really depends on your audience and the search criteria they are using.

I know one word that really helps. When I was reading, I thought the word “Warning” was one of those words you were talking about, but it wasn’t even part of the article.

Another word is “Help”. People like to help. “Please help me”, “Could you help me?”

And as far as “Free” goes, I’ve heard that “Free” can be a bad thing too because it lowers the perceived value. Yeah someone wants something free, but when the person has to spend money, are they going to buy the Hershey Kisses or the other kind? I would have liked to see the conversions of the people after the test, whether or not they became customers or bought anything afterwards.

Another thing I would personally like to see is if someone is telling me to click on a link, I want to know exactly what I’m getting myself into. If not, I assume they are hiding something because they won’t tell me what the hell is going to happen once I click that link.

As one person says, “Free” usually means “Free for 7 days, then it’s $39.99 a month” and they don’t mention how difficult it is to get through to customer service to cancel. Or all the other assortment of not-so-free sites.

December 9, 2012 at 1:55 pm

I agree with “Click Here” when it comes to the web, I’ve tested that on multiple occasions and an “action phrase” like that almost always outperforms other words.

December 8, 2012 at 4:37 pm

Imagine, Extend, Expand, Value, Reach, Grow

December 9, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Are you being cheeky?

December 12, 2012 at 1:27 am

I asked at the bottom of the article to suggest more persuasive words, I didn’t require any research. 🙂

December 8, 2012 at 8:06 pm

I’m going to experiment with this, and make an effort to notice when I used these words and what effect they have.

December 9, 2012 at 9:20 pm

Report back! Where will you be testing these words?

December 9, 2012 at 3:15 am

Well-researched article. Using simple language is the way to write. Now I agree more with #5 because before I always replace it with the word “improved”. But then it’s the right timing that makes these words most persuasive. Great article.

December 9, 2012 at 1:56 pm

Eh, I would say they go hand-in-hand on many occasions. The persuasive element here is the *novelty* of whatever you’re describing, and “improved” often implies that something about the product is new.

December 9, 2012 at 1:20 pm

Found this really interesting. Most of them I can see how they work. For me the first one can be a complete turn off!! If my name is anywhere other than in the titles then I switch off. My Mum used to put my name in a sentence as a put down or to let me know I was in the wrong – it still has the same connotation!!

December 9, 2012 at 4:14 pm

True, but a lot of testing with personal communication (read: email marketing) has shown that names often increase open-rates and engagement in many instances. I remember a MailChimp article that showed exactly that, so it’s something to consider.

December 9, 2012 at 3:05 pm

Your title totally drew me in because I wanted to instantly know those five words that would be new to me . . . for free!! Aren’t I clever? I used all five words in that sentence! Seriously, great and helpful post with terrific research and backing added in. Can’t wait to grab that free report too. 🙂

December 9, 2012 at 4:13 pm

I see what you did there 😉

You’ll definitely enjoy the report if you liked this post! 🙂

December 10, 2012 at 12:00 am

awesome and informative stuff here.. Love to read it.. Normally, i will incorporate this word in my article: I, me, you etc.. and it is worked, my blog looks more alive..

December 10, 2012 at 3:32 am

I imagined the word “FREE” would be at the top. I also knew about “because” and “you”. The word “instantly” is a new idea. I’ll try and fit that into my writing…

December 10, 2012 at 11:00 am

It’s definitely a great way to promote action immediately, and on the web, you rarely get a second chance if you lose someone the first time.

December 11, 2012 at 2:11 am

But be careful. Using these words to draw people in, and then not delivering anything, that can hurt a person’s reputation and train people on what to ignore.

Yes. We get one chance to make an impression. Don’t miss an opportunity, but don’t ruin the experience either.

Awesome information for a newbie like me to get his hands on. Thanks!

December 11, 2012 at 8:49 am

Very welcome!

December 10, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Who amongst us can resist the alluring nature of the word “FREE”? Posts like this are why I love Copy Blogger. The info on here is great and has really helped me improve my writing over the years. No matter how long you’ve been writing, there’s always something new to learn.

December 11, 2012 at 2:16 am

Lots of us can resist the word “free.” We’re being trained to be suspicious. See some of the earlier conversation.

Free can get someone’s attention. “Free” can also be the first step toward “I should have known it was too good to be true. Lots of “free” software is revealed to be packaged with adware and hijacks your homepage, and claims “in order to provide this to you for free, we have to pull these shenanigans.”

December 11, 2012 at 8:50 am

I think it was a given here that honesty needs to accompany every form of persuasion that you implement. 🙂

December 11, 2012 at 2:05 am

“Free”, “New” and “You” were quite obvious but didn’t expect “Because” and “Instantly” in the top 5 list. I expected “Now” word.

December 11, 2012 at 10:52 am

If I had to go with a 6th “bonus word”, I’d definitely envision it being something like “Now”, I should look to see if there is any solid research on that! 🙂

December 11, 2012 at 11:17 am

These are specially great for writing ads, where you have so little time to grab someone’s attention, not to mention the million other ads competing for those same eyeballs. Great, useful article. Anyone looking to improve their copywriting skills should spend some time learning all the “power” words that can dramatically improve engagement and clickthrough rates.

December 12, 2012 at 1:24 am

Very true, advertisements are a medium where you have a very limited time span to catch attention.

December 14, 2012 at 5:01 pm

I hardly ever write copy. Most often I just correct it. Coincidentally however, I just helped someone write copy for an advertorial of sorts today. I think it’s important to say “we will” as opposed to “we can.” “We can” just sounds too much like “we may,” while “we will” sounds more certain. Agree? Loved the information….thank you!

December 16, 2012 at 8:46 pm

I agree 100% Joline, in fact, I’d go even further and say that great copy should eliminate any phrases that showcases an alternative (“I think that…”, etc.)

December 16, 2012 at 1:15 am

About 20 years ago i was working for a bank selling balance transfers, which basically is trying to get people to switch all of their debt to us for a lower interest rate. I was doing a terrible job up until the guy next to me said to start using the phrase. It’s a no brainer. To my shock and amazement I more than doubled my closing rate with this stupid phrase. I guess no one wants to feel like they have no brain…LOL

December 16, 2012 at 8:45 pm

Ha! Wow, that’s a story I almost feel guilty laughing about…

December 18, 2012 at 4:13 am

The world will be pleased to know I’ve ordered that Cialdini book.

Everywhere I go recently that book is recommended. Can’t wait!

Great post – I loved the Chocolate study, that’s fascinating.

December 22, 2012 at 10:43 am

Thanks, I now have the title of my next headline…

“I am giving YOU a FREE eBook BECAUSE I INSTANTLY want a NEW Fan” 🙂

December 23, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Gregory – YOU did a great job with this article BECAUSE it INSTANTLY helped me idetify specific ways to make my copy more persuasive. I hope I can reciprocate in the near future with NEW ideas for you in my next blog post on Harvard Business Review. Thank you. I find thank you and reciprocity to be attractive words as well.

January 3, 2013 at 11:31 pm

I do agree that FREE is a great in attracting attention. But over the years, I do notice that FREE attracts the wrong prospects as well. Now I actually charge a nominal fee for all the workshops to capture a better qualified audience.

February 7, 2013 at 12:43 am

From my media training – “Actually” is very powerful. It’s a good word to use instead of “yes” or “no” to pivot questioning

February 8, 2013 at 3:52 pm

I’m not sure about the “because” but You, free, instantly and New are difintely words that gets my heart racing. Like most people, I like to hear my name and see my name in big lites. Who doesn’t love free? Only thing about free is that it can sometimes devalue valuable things. We take things for granted when they’re free. Like mostly people today, we want everything and we want it now. Instantly ain’t fast enough sometimes. Definitely love new. Been buying used stuff so long only new will due for me now.

February 10, 2013 at 6:24 pm

Thanks for the information! I’m writing a sales letter for my ebook so you already know I turned to copyblogger for advice ?.

February 12, 2013 at 11:44 am

I read a blog a year ago where the writer had done tests to his “follow me on Twitter” link to see what compelled the most people to follow him. He ended up with “You should follow me on Twitter”. I wonder how much the “You” had to do with that being the most compelling version.

Now I also wonder how much more compelling it would have been if he had had a “because” in there.

March 19, 2013 at 5:50 am

I have always loved that Cialdini experiment example.thanks for the reminder….I’m in the middle of sending out some postcards and I think I will use this great article as the basis to do some testing…thanx

March 20, 2013 at 4:36 pm

Two words keep popping up in my mind: “please” and “thanks”. What strikes me is that I believe these two words are very powerful, but mostly when spoken! In writing, these are overused or expected. Interesting the difference between both ways of communicating

March 25, 2013 at 3:47 am

A word I keep thinking of is “beta”. Many people like the idea of being the first one to try something new. I know I do. Giving people access to something prior to the “general public” makes them feel special and will likely lead to brand loyalty and engagement.

April 1, 2013 at 7:41 pm

Wow, this list was put together well. I still can’t believe because is that persuasive, but the logic behind it makes sense. I could have guessed the other 4. Great post keep up the good work, Daniel

April 3, 2013 at 9:36 am

I always think when I see things like: “These are selling like hotcakes. Only 5 left. Hurry. Don’t miss out!”. This makes me think: “If they’re selling so fast and furious, why are they so bent on urging us to buy?”. They don’t need to!

April 13, 2013 at 12:17 pm

Not for headlines, but within copy, it is important for me to use the word LIKE somewhere in there for two reasons. The first is such usage almost always is in an analogy, and anologies work well in persuasive writing. Analogies are like pictures, they convey more than the words they are comprised of. The second is that within the analogy, I always try and put the word like in front of what I am persuading about. For example, if the new “what-a-car-mobile” is something I am trying to pursuade some to take interest in, I could say “Seeing a double rainbow is for visual pleasure much like the what-a-car-mobile is for driving pleasure. The embedded secondary statement that speaks to the subconscious is ‘like the what-a-car-mobile”.

May 15, 2013 at 10:09 am

As a Public Speaking Coach and Trainer, I teach 4 of these to my students! I have started Copywriting more and more to learn more about persuasive speaking! Thank you for the tips!

May 24, 2013 at 3:06 pm

This is a fabulous blog post.

‘You’ is a very powerful word that stands out to me above all others. ‘You’ creates a personal relationship between a reader and the content that they are reading.

Content writing often misses out in creating a relationship with the reader.

Without that relationship there will be no engagement and your content will not be valuable

May 28, 2013 at 7:58 am

I use superlatives to make products and services seem more attractive. Saying something is lovely or beautiful, amazing or remarkable, is powerful stuff.

June 8, 2013 at 8:51 am

The word “because” is definitely an important word to implement when using persuasive language. Especially when you’re trying to get your kids to do stuff like clean up their room and things like that. Great post by the way!

June 17, 2013 at 9:23 pm

yup, those are 5 very persuasive words!

July 11, 2013 at 6:25 pm

I can’t help but feeling a little sleezball knowing these psychological tricks and using them to get conversions.

I keep reminding myself that I am offering something really valuable, something that I would like to give away for free. And, even am giving away for free to a certain extent, or at least will be when I publish my free report “Busy People Get Healthy (In Half the Time)”

You should check out my site and let me know how your brain reacts because, I would really value your opinion. (There’s a real reason!)

Thanks for a great article,

July 18, 2013 at 5:53 am

From my experience, while “You” is indeed deserving its spot, an even better one is a person’s own name. We all hear our name from the very first days of our lives – we are conditioned to pay attention whenever that word is used.

Even when walking on the street, if you hear someone saying out loud your name: “Gregory!” … “you” would turn your head “instantly”, not “because” it is something “new” but simply “because” you are trained to do so from way back, during your childhood.

The attention-grabbing word “free” is an acquired taste, though; it comes in your life almost at the same time (parents provide you with anything in “free” mode) but you come to value it properly only much later… 🙂

Cheers, ~Steve

July 18, 2013 at 10:37 am

Thank you for making me smile in a VERY hectic week. Of course, you are right. But I write historical fiction and while ultimately I’m selling a product, something in me rebels/resists using outright marketing strategies such as those outlined here.

BUT I do want to reach my audience. So I’ve got my toe in and appreciate very much this NEW and FREE information you’ve made so INSTANTLY available BECAUSE you have helped me. Thank YOU!

July 19, 2013 at 7:12 pm

because you asked me to I’m going to instantly give you my new opinion, for free!

When I started blogging about yoga I quickly realized that my average competitor was writing a lot of blah blah blah posting photos of themselves in insanely difficult yoga poses, talking about their “beautiful” kids and supportive spouse. yawn. Even I don’t want to read about that, and I’m a professional yoga teacher!

So I started talking about “you” and things that might be of interest to “you”. Assuming that the average yoga practitioner is smart, green conscious, politically savvy I started instantly started blogging on new topics like big pharma, organic foods, and relationships because, you know, people like to read about interesting things – not just “me” and how my day went when I worked out.

My readership really grew! Stop by and read me some day, would love to meet you

July 22, 2013 at 7:04 pm

Thank You Gregory,

Simple and definitely meaningful tips. As Dale Carnegie said many years ago “the most important sound to a person is the sound of their own name”. A challenge though with digital communication, eg. communicating with parents via Facebook to help one another, the hardest job in the world with little to no prior preparation and loaded with exhaustion, frustration and loneliness.

I took a few great tips from your article, any others would be greatly appreciated by this parent and others ?

Thank you again all the way from Down Under.

August 6, 2013 at 8:09 pm

Persuasion is written and verbal and I think it’s true people like seeing their name in print, hearing it called. Persuading the brain in advertising is an awesome process when you see it unfold.

August 31, 2013 at 11:29 am

I like to use the word “imagine”. I think it is a way to get people involved in the content being discussed. I suppose it is a way to try to force them to think.

Once they are doing that, it may be possible to lead them in a certain direction by providing compelling arguments, research results, and information.

What do you think to this approach?

August 31, 2013 at 1:18 pm

That’s called “invoking the mind’s eye.” Very powerful.

August 31, 2013 at 3:07 pm

I should have mentioned it in the previous post, what an excellent and informative article that was. Certainly some food for thought there. I will keep this in mind when writing content for my site.

Thanks so much.

September 7, 2013 at 3:18 pm

Love this article. I’ve bought so many marketing tools, plugins, themes, etc. and most, if not all of these persuasive words were in the copy that sold me.

October 15, 2013 at 11:29 am

Great article really helpful for getting into your customers head and there thought processes. Very interesting and helpful. Thank you,

November 19, 2013 at 10:16 am

The word, “Please” is also very persuasive!

This article's comments are closed.

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Synonyms for Persuasive

Synonyms starting with letter i.

• impressive convincing, effective, property
• influential convincing, effective, property
• inspiring effective
• impelling convincing, effective
• inducing convincing, effective
• irresistible
• ingratiating
• irrefutable
• instrumental
• ingratiatory
• incontrovertible
• inspirational
• importunate
• intelligible
• impassioned
• in the saddle
• indispensable
• insinuating
• insinuative
• incontestable

All 337 Positive & Impactful Adjectives Starting With I (With Meanings & Examples)

By Dennis Kamprad

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Incredible, innovative, insightful – the letter I, present in the first half of the English alphabet, introduces a captivating line-up of truly positive and uplifting adjectives. I enriches our language with an intrinsic glow, painting the adjectives it heralds with an invigorating splash of intensity and intrigue. So, we had to ask: What are all the positive and impactful adjectives starting with the letter I?

Some of the most used positive & impactful adjectives that start with the letter I include incredible, innovative, insightful, invigorating, impressive, intuitive, intrinsic, inspiring, immense, and indomitable. There are a few hundred of these interesting words, ranging from 4 to 23 characters in length.

Join us as we delve into the beauty and significance of these adjectives, uncovering their meanings and embracing the power they hold to create a positive impact in our daily lives. We’ll then also share the most used and the most interesting words starting with I as well as ten interesting facts about and a brief history of words starting with I.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | ‍ O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Here Are All 337 Positive & Impactful Adjectives That Start With the Letter I

In the diverse landscape of English grammar, words are categorized into various groups based on their functions within sentences. These groups, referred to as ‘ part-of-speech ,’ constitute the building blocks of language, enabling you to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and emotions effectively.

Adjective : An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. An example of an adjective could be”incredible,” which describes something impossible to believe or extraordinary. In a sentence, you could say, “The incredible view from the mountaintop took our breath away.”

Trivia : The average word length of our list of positive & impactful adjectives that start with the letter I is a long 10.2 characters, with the shortest words only having 4 characters ( idle ) and the longest word having 23 characters ( imaginatively-conceived ).

These Are All Adjectives Starting With I That Are Inherently Positive & Impactful

These are all adjectives starting with i that can be used in a positive & impactful way.

Now that we’ve covered all adjectives starting with I that inherently exude positivity and impact, let’s complete the list and shift gears to another exciting set of words. These next words might not generally spell ‘positivity’ or ‘impact’ but when used thoughtfully, can surely add a positive & impactful spin to any conversation.

This next set of words exemplifies the beauty of language – their meaning is not just fixed but can be shaped by the context they are used in. So, try to use these words too, to have a bigger positive impact with your conversations.

10 Most Used Positive & Impactful Adjectives That Start With the Letter I

The letter I appears in about 7% of words used in the English language . Meaning that it is one of the most often used letters in terms of letter frequency (btw, this is the full ranking, with the letters arranged from most to least frequent: etao i nshrdlcumwfgypbvkjxqz ).

Yet, some adjectives beginning with I are used more often than others. Below are some of the most used positive and impactful adjectives that start with the letter I:

• Invigorating
• Indomitable

The frequency of how many times you want to use adjectives that start with the letter I is entirely in your hands! We believe our list imparted an inventory of intriguing words with I, invigorating your interaction immensely. And we’re certain, you found it interesting and invaluable to include these words whenever you yearned for a dash of imagination or an inkling of integrity in your discourse or text!

10 Interesting Words That Start With the Letter I

Immersing ourselves in the immersive world of I, we interact with intriguing words that inspire imagination. Here are ten intriguing words that start with I:

• Idyllic : Like an idyll; extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque. This term is a celebration of perfection and serenity, often used to describe a perfect setting or scenario.
• Impetuous : Acting or done quickly and without thought or care. Derived from Latin, this term reflects spontaneity, though with a warning of possible consequences.
• Irascible : Having or showing a tendency to be easily angered. This term paints a picture of quick-tempered character or behavior.
• Insouciant : Showing a casual lack of concern. Borrowed from French, this term personifies an attitude of nonchalant unconcern.
• Ineffable : Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words. This term, rooted in Latin, speaks to the limitations of language in expressing profound experiences.
• Intrepid : Fearless; adventurous. This term celebrates bravery and valor, often used to describe heroic figures.
• Incandescent : Emitting light as a result of being heated. In a metaphorical sense, it’s often used to denote intense emotion or brilliance.
• Imbroglio : An extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation. Borrowed from Italian, this term encapsulates complex, perplexing situations.
• Inception : The establishment or starting point of an institution or activity. This term, laden with beginnings and possibilities, marks the start of journeys, projects, and ideas.
• Idiosyncrasy : A mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual. This term celebrates individuality, highlighting the unique patterns and quirks that distinguish us.

From idyllic to idiosyncratic, these words ignite our imaginations, inviting us to immerse ourselves in the intricacies of the English language.

10 Interesting Facts About Words That Start With the Letter I

Let’s take a step back and have a look at the bigger picture of our words with I . We uncover a myriad of intriguing elements that underline its key role within the English language.

• Historical origins : The letter I traces its origins back to the Phoenician letter Yodh, which represented a ‘hand.’ It entered the Greek alphabet as Iota and subsequently the Roman alphabet as I.
• I and the self : I is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English, making it one of the most commonly used words.
• I and science : In science, I is the symbol for iodine in the Periodic Table of Elements, and in physics, it’s the symbol for electric current.
• I and mathematics : In mathematics, i represents the imaginary unit.
• The dot on the I : The dot above the lowercase ‘i’ is known as a tittle.
• I in phonetics : In phonetics, ‘I’ represents two different sounds: the ‘ee’ in ‘see’ and the ‘i’ in ‘in.’
• Variations in pronunciation : The pronunciation of I can vary dramatically between languages. For instance, in Spanish, it’s pronounced as ‘ee,’ like in the word ‘see.’
• Capital I : English is the only language that always writes ‘I’ in the first person singular as an uppercase letter. I is also the only English letter that can be used as a complete sentence when used as a first-person singular pronoun, as in “I am.”
• I in music : In music theory, ‘I’ represents the tonic chord of a musical key.
• I in digital communication : In digital communication, ‘i’ is often used as an abbreviation for ‘internet,’ as seen in terms like ‘iPod,’ ‘iPhone,’ and ‘iPad.’

The letter I, with its dual phonetic nature, symbolic importance in science and mathematics, and its remarkable role as a self-representative, exhibits its vital role in the English language. The journey of I, from its ancient representation of a ‘hand’ to its modern use, is a testament to its linguistic versatility and significance.

A Brief History of the Letter I

The story of the letter I has a rich and compelling history , beginning with ancient civilizations and carrying forward into the present day.

The origins of I can be traced back to ancient Semitic languages , where a pictogram of a hand or an arm was used to represent a consonantal sound similar to /y/.

The Phoenicians simplified this pictogram into a linear form and named it “yod,” which meant ‘arm’ or ‘hand.’ Yod made a /j/ sound, somewhat akin to the English “y.”

The Greeks borrowed yod from the Phoenician alphabet, but they repurposed it to represent a vowel sound. They called this letter “iota,” which produced an /i/ sound, and it took the form of a single vertical stroke, the form we recognize today as I.

The Romans adopted the Greek alphabet and incorporated iota into their own alphabet, which would later become the Latin alphabet. Here, the character retained its name and form from the Greek script and continued to represent an /i/ sound.

It’s worth noting that, until the late Middle Ages, the letter I was used to represent both a vowel and a consonant sound , /i/ and /j/ respectively. It was not until the differentiation of I and J in the 16 th century that I took on its exclusive role as a vowel in English.

In modern symbolic usage, I takes on several roles. In electrical engineering, I stands for electric current. In Roman numerals, I represents the number one. In information theory, I denotes information. In complex numbers, i is used to represent the imaginary unit.

From its ancient origins as a hand or an arm to its place in the modern English alphabet, the history of I offers a glimpse into the ways languages evolve and adapt over time . This journey highlights how written language, while serving as a record of human communication, is also a living, changing entity.

Final Thoughts

Expanding your vocabulary is akin to broadening your intellectual horizons and enhancing your capacity to express your thoughts and emotions with precision. By embracing adjectives like ‘incredible,’ ‘innate,’ and ‘illustrious,’ you’re not just enhancing your descriptors, but you’re also elevating your expressions of awe and praise. ‘Incredible’ amplifies simple ‘good’ to an overwhelming marvel, ‘innate’ brings out the inherent essence compared to ‘natural,’ and ‘illustrious’ transforms a mere ‘famous’ into a beacon of achievement.

The more words you have at your disposal, the more accurately and vividly you can paint your thoughts into speech and writing. So, by growing your vocabulary, especially with positive and impactful words, you’re empowering yourself to engage more effectively and inspiringly with the world around you.

• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With A
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With B
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With C
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With D
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With E
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With F
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With G
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With H
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With J
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With K
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With L
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With M
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With N
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With O
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With P
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Q
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With R
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With S
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With T
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With U
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With V
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With X
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Y
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Z
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Nouns Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Adjectives Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Verbs Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Adverbs Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Interjections Starting With I
• Wikipedia: Part of Speech
• David Sacks: Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
• Wikipedia: Letter Frequency
• Wikipedia: I

Dennis Kamprad

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Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

• Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
• Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
• Never include personal opinion.
• Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

• Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
• Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
• Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

• Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
• References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
• Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on  writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Common core state standards related to alliteration.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4 – Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

ELA Standards: Literature

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

ELA Standards: Language

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5a – Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5a – Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.

83 Comments

Khadija shehu.

Thank you so much I really appreciate.

Would love to have some for preK or K. Also more like Susie sells seashells by the seashore.

l loved your alliterations because they are very interesting and if your audience are listening to the alliteration in your speech, they will not get bored and leave

bill marsano

The W and WH are tricky. The H should be pro nounced in what, when, where, while, ect., but they are almost invariably elided in speech, and so slide by on incorrect pronunciation.

Aslde to Mr. Morton: for my part, the letter H gets my goat.

‘sparkle’ and ‘cycle’ are NOT alliterative Try ‘scythe’ instead.

I’m not sorry, but these are NOT examples of alliteration.

What does alliteration mean to you?

Clary closed he cluttered clothes closet

these are quite literally the best examples of alliteration lmao

You’re right. These are hyperbole examples.

Awesome Resource! It’s great to have things put together like this so I don’t have to hunt or make up stuff.

Can you advise how to write thankful for family, health and teacher using alliteration?

JethroK Kakeni

It’ s awesome!!!!Thank you please email me more love alliteration please…..

Tell a alliteration with tr

I could tell you one…or not.

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Words that start with i

Found 35979 words that start with i . Check our Scrabble Word Finder , Wordle solver , Words With Friends cheat dictionary , and WordHub word solver to find words starting with i. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words that end in i , Words containing i

• Words With Friends

28-letter words that start with i

• i nthatskyissomethingwatching
• i nositoltrisphosphohydrolase

27-letter words that start with i

• i ntercondylicintercondyloid

25-letter words that start with i

• i odochlorhydroxyquinoline
• i mmunoelectrophoretically

24-letter words that start with i

• i sopentenylpyrophosphate
• i sopropylthiogalactoside
• i mmunolymphoscintigraphy
• i ntercontinentalexchange
• i ntercomprehensibilities

23-letter words that start with i

• i nfundibulofolliculitis
• i ntracerebroventricular
• i mmunoelectroadsorption
• i cosidodecadodecahedron
• i ndistinguishablenesses
• i ntersubstitutabilities

22-letter words that start with i

• i sonitrosoacetophenone
• i mmunoelectrodiffusion
• i mmunohistochemistries
• i ndistinguishabilities
• i ncomprehensiblenesses
• i ntercomprehensibility

21-letter words that start with i

• i mmunoelectrophoresis
• i ridocyclochoroiditis
• i odotrifluoroethylene
• i ntercityexperimental
• i chthyoallyeinotoxism
• i mmunoelectrophoretic
• i mmunoelectrophoreses
• i mmunocytochemistries
• i ncomprehensibilities
• i ndistinguishableness
• i nterchangeablenesses
• i nterconvertibilities
• i nterdenominationally
• i nternationalizations
• i nstitutionalizations
• i ntersubstitutability

20-letter words that start with i

• i mmunohistochemistry
• i ndistinguishability
• i ncontrovertibleness
• i odochlorhydroxyquin
• i nternationalization
• i nternationalisation
• i nstitutionalization
• i ridectomesodialysis
• i mmunoglobulinopathy
• i mmunoresponsiveness
• i chthyoacanthotoxism
• i dioheteroagglutinin
• i cterohemoglobinuria
• i nstitutionalisation
• i ntergovernmentalism
• i wannadoitwithadonna
• i rreconcilablenesses
• i rreproachablenesses
• i nterconnectednesses
• i nterchangeabilities
• i nternationalisticly
• i ntellectualizations
• i nterstratifications
• i mmunoprecipitations
• i mmunocytochemically
• i ncomprehensibleness
• i nconsiderablenesses
• i nconsequentialities
• i ndiscriminatenesses
• i ndestructiblenesses
• i nappreciativenesses
• i ncommensurabilities

19-letter words that start with i

• i nterdenominational
• i mmunocytochemistry
• i ntellectualization
• i ntellectualisation
• i nterchangeableness
• i nterstratification
• i mmunoprecipitation
• i leotransversostomy
• i ncontrovertibility
• i ncomprehensibility
• i nconsequentialness
• i ndividualistically
• i ncobotulinumtoxina
• i leocecocystoplasty
• i mmunosympathectomy
• i mmunohistochemical
• i mmunocytoadherence
• i mmunocontraception
• i mmunoagglutination
• i chthyornithiformes
• i ntradermopalpebral
• i nguinointerstitial
• i sohemagglutination
• i sogenerataephyceae
• i chabodcraniosaurus
• i ndanylaminopropane
• i ntcombatsystestfac
• i nteravailabilities
• i nstitutionalizedly
• i nstantaneousnesses
• i ntercommunications
• i nterdepartmentally
• i nterconvertibility
• i ntercostohumeralis
• i ntergovernmentally
• i nterjurisdictional
• i nterferometrically
• i nterdisciplinarily
• i nterorganizational
• i ntradepartmentally
• i ntrospectivenesses
• i nterscholastically
• i rreplaceablenesses
• i rreproachabilities
• i rresponsiblenesses
• i rreproducibilities
• i rrecoverablenesses
• i rreconcilabilities
• i nconsideratenesses
• i nconspicuousnesses
• i ncomprehensiveness
• i nconceivablenesses
• i ndispensablenesses
• i ndefatigablenesses
• i ndestructibilities
• i ndeterminatenesses
• i ndescribablenesses
• i nexhaustiblenesses
• i nexpressiblenesses
• i nefficaciousnesses
• i ncommunicabilities
• i ncommunicativeness
• i nappropriatenesses
• i mpressionabilities
• i mpressionistically
• i mmunocontraceptive
• i mmunohematologists
• i mmunohematological
• i mmunofluorescences
• i mmunosuppressively
• i mmunoprecipitating

18-letter words that start with i

• i mmunofluorescence
• i mmunopharmacology
• i mmunochemotherapy
• i mprescriptibility
• i mpressionableness
• i ncommensurability
• i ncircumscriptible
• i neffervescibility
• i nconsequentiality
• i nconsiderableness
• i ndecomposableness
• i atromathematician
• i nfradiaphragmatic
• i nternationalistic
• i ntercartilaginous
• i ntercommunication
• i nterchangeability
• i nterconnectedness
• i nsurmountableness
• i rreproachableness
• i rreconcilableness
• i schnacanthiformes
• i sopropylarterenol
• i sovalericacidemia
• i sotransplantation
• i soleukoagglutinin
• i ntercutaneomucous
• i nfundibuloovarian
• i nterseptovalvular
• i ntramitochondrial
• i ntracartilaginous
• i ntragalvanization
• i chthyosarcotoxism
• i chthyophthiriosis
• i ndeterminableness
• i ndiscerptibleness
• i mmunopotentiation
• i mmunoscintigraphy
• i mmunosuppressants
• i mmunosurveillance
• i mmunonephelometry
• i mmunopathogenesis
• i mmunopathological
• i mmunoincompetence
• i mmunoincompetency
• i mmunolocalization
• i ntercityslovenija
• i ntermetamorphosis
• i nterminablenesses
• i ntermediatenesses
• i nternationalising
• i nternationalities
• i nternationalistly
• i nternationalizing
• i nteroperabilities
• i nterpretabilities
• i ntercommunicating
• i ntercolumniations
• i ntercommunicative
• i ntercontinentally
• i nterinstitutional
• i nsusceptibilities
• i ntelligiblenesses
• i ntellectualnesses
• i nsufferablenesses
• i nsubstantialities
• i nstitutionalizing
• i nstitutionalising
• i nhospitablenesses
• i nharmoniousnesses
• i ntransitivenesses
• i ntraventricularly
• i ntrospectionistic
• i nterrelationships
• i nterrelatednesses
• i ntertransversales
• i ntersubstitutable
• i nvulnerablenesses
• i schiothoracopagus
• i rresistiblenesses
• i rretrievabilities
• i rresponsibilities
• i rresponsivenesses
• i rrepressibilities
• i rreplaceabilities
• i rremediablenesses
• i mmunohematologies
• i mmunohematologist
• i mmunopathologists
• i mmunosuppressives
• i mmunosuppressions
• i mmunoreactivities
• i mmunoprecipitates
• i mmunodeficiencies
• i mmunocytochemical
• i mmeasurablenesses
• i ndiscriminatingly
• i ndispensabilities
• i ndiscriminateness
• i ndisputablenesses

17-letter words that start with i

• i nterdisciplinary
• i ndistinguishable
• i ntergovernmental
• i ntergenerational
• i nterdepartmental
• i mmunosuppression
• i mmunocompromised
• i ntercolumniation
• i ntercommunicable
• i nterjectionalize
• i nsurmountability
• i nstitutionalized
• i nstitutionalised
• i nstantaneousness
• i nfralapsarianism
• i ntertranspicuous
• i ntertrochanteric
• i nterrelationship
• i ntransmutability
• i ntradepartmental
• i ntrospectiveness
• i rreconcilability
• i rreproducibility
• i rresponsibleness
• i rretrievableness
• i rreplaceableness
• i mmunosuppressive
• i mmunosuppressant
• i mmunotransfusion
• i mmunotherapeutic
• i leosigmoidostomy
• i ndistinguishably
• i ndissolvableness
• i ndividualization
• i ndividualisation
• i ndispensableness
• i ndeterminateness
• i ndestructibility
• i ndemonstrability
• i ndefatigableness
• i ncompressibility
• i nconceivableness
• i nconsiderateness
• i nconspicuousness
• i nconsequentially
• i nconsecutiveness
• i nconvertibleness
• i ncorruptibleness
• i nexhaustibleness
• i nefficaciousness
• i ndustrialization
• i ndustrialisation
• i mpressionability
• i mpracticableness
• i mperturbableness
• i mpertransibility
• i nappropriateness
• i ncircumscription
• i ncommunicability
• i atromathematical
• i chthyophthalmite
• i chthyosarcotoxin
• i chthyotoxicology
• i chthyohemotoxism
• i diopsychological
• i dioisoagglutinin
• i ndiscerptibility
• i mmunostimulation
• i mmunoprophylaxis
• i mmunophenotyping
• i mmunopotentiator
• i mmunoenhancement
• i mmunofluorescent
• i mmunodiagnostics
• i mmunoincompetent
• i mmunoinfertility
• i mmunoconglutinin
• i mmunodermatology
• i midodipeptiduria
• i soflurophosphate
• i sonitrosoacetone
• i sopyrocalciferol
• i ntrageoanticline
• i ntrafaradization
• i ntraprotoplasmic
• i nterventionalist
• i ridochorioiditis
• i ridomesodialysis
• i ridoperiphacitis
• i ridoperiphakitis
• i nfundibulopelvic
• i nguinoperitoneal
• i nterhemicerebral
• i nterfenestration
• i ntercostohumeral
• i ntermediolateral
• i nternationalisms
• i nterconnectivity
• i nterdiscursivity
• i nspirationalists

16-letter words that start with i

• i ncomprehensible
• i ntercontinental
• i mmunodeficiency
• i nternationalism
• i ncontrovertible
• i nstitutionalize
• i nternationalize
• i nstitutionalism
• i ntracytoplasmic
• i ntercommunicate
• i nextinguishable
• i mmunodepression
• i ndiscriminating
• i ndiscrimination
• i soagglutination
• i sosulphocyanate
• i rremediableness
• i rrepressibility
• i rresolvableness
• i rresistibleness
• i rresponsibility
• i rretrievability
• i rreconciliation
• i rrefrangibility
• i rreversibleness
• i ntercitizenship
• i nterconvertible
• i nterjectionally
• i nterequinoctial
• i nternationality
• i nternationalist
• i nternationalise
• i nteroperability
• i nterpretability
• i nterpretatively
• i nterpenetrative
• i nterpenetration
• i nterminableness
• i nstitutionalise
• i nstrumentalness
• i nsubstantiality
• i ntelligibleness
• i nsusceptibility
• i nfraterritorial
• i nhospitableness
• i nhabitativeness
• i nharmoniousness
• i nsalubriousness
• i ntransgressible
• i ntransitiveness
• i ntrospectionist
• i ntrospectionism
• i ntraventricular
• i ntraterritorial
• i nterrelatedness
• i nterventricular
• i nverisimilitude
• i nvulnerableness
• i ndiscriminative
• i ndiscriminately
• i ndispensability
• i ndiscerpibility
• i ndissolubleness
• i ndistinguishing
• i ndigestibleness
• i ndefatigability
• i ncontrovertibly
• i ncontestability
• i nconvertibility
• i ncorruptibility
• i ncorrigibleness
• i ncorrespondence
• i ncomprehensibly
• i nconceivability
• i ncondensability
• i nconclusiveness
• i nconsequentness
• i nconsistentness
• i ncrystallizable
• i nextinguishably
• i nextricableness
• i nexpressiveness
• i nexplicableness
• i nexhaustibility
• i nferobranchiata
• i nferobranchiate
• i mpracticability
• i mprovidentially
• i mpreventability
• i mproportionable
• i mponderableness
• i mperturbability
• i mperishableness
• i mpermissibility
• i mperfectibility
• i mperceptibility
• i mpenetrableness
• i ncombustibility
• i ncompatibleness
• i ncommodiousness

15-letter words that start with i

• i nstrumentation
• i nterchangeable
• i ndemnification
• i ntercollegiate
• i ncompatibility
• i nconsequential
• i mpressionistic
• i nterscholastic
• i nstrumentalist
• i ncomprehension
• i nstrumentality
• i ntellectualism
• i nterventionism
• i mmunocompetent
• i mmunochemistry
• i ncommensurable
• i nterprovincial
• i ntermodulation
• i nstrumentalism
• i ntellectualize
• i mpenetrability
• i mmunodiffusion
• i ntussusception
• i nterconversion
• i mmunodiagnosis
• i ncommunicative
• i nfundibuliform
• i nfusiblenesses
• i nfrastructures
• i ngeniousnesses
• i ngenuousnesses
• i nformationally
• i nformativeness
• i nheritableness
• i nhospitalities
• i nhomogeneities
• i njudiciousness
• i nitializations
• i nnocuousnesses
• i nopportuneness
• i noperativeness
• i noffensiveness
• i njuriousnesses
• i nsatiatenesses
• i nsatiabilities
• i nscrutableness
• i nseparableness
• i nsensibilities
• i nsensitiveness
• i nsensitivities
• i nquisitiveness
• i nquisitorially
• i nterconverting
• i ntercorrelated
• i ntercorrelates
• i ntercomparison
• i nterconnecting
• i nterconnection
• i nterdependency
• i nterdependence
• i nterculturally
• i ntercommunions
• i nterchangeably
• i nterelectronic
• i nterdivisional
• i nterelectrodes
• i nterdigitating
• i nterdigitation
• i nterdiffusions
• i nterestingness
• i nterferometers
• i nterferometric
• i nterfraternity
• i nteriorization
• i nterlacustrine
• i nterinfluenced
• i nterinfluences
• i nterindividual
• i ntergradations
• i ntergeneration
• i nternalization
• i ntermittencies
• i ntermediations
• i nterlineations
• i nterpretations
• i nterpopulation
• i nterparoxysmal
• i nterpellations
• i nterpenetrated
• i nterpenetrates
• i nterpermeating
• i nterphalangeal
• i nterpersonally
• i nterperceptual
• i nternucleotide
• i nteroperatives
• i nternationally
• i ntellectuality
• i ntellectualist
• i ntelligibility

14-letter words that start with i

• i nfrastructure
• i dentification
• i nterpretation
• i nterdependent
• i nsurmountable
• i ndiscriminate
• i nterpretative
• i ntelligentsia
• i mmunoglobulin
• i rreconcilable
• i mpressionable
• i ndestructible
• i nsignificance
• i nterplanetary
• i nconsiderable
• i ndecipherable
• i ntentionality
• i ntervertebral
• i nterferometer
• i ntegrationist
• i ntermolecular
• i ncrementalism
• i mmunoblotting
• i ntercommunity
• i ncompressible
• i ndeterminable
• i ncommensurate
• i ncoordination
• i ntersegmental
• i rreproachable
• i ntramolecular
• i mmunogenetics
• i ntercommunion
• i nterpenetrate
• i rreproducible
• i ndifferentism
• i ncommunicable
• i ntracutaneous
• i ntervalometer
• i nterpupillary
• i nsuppressible
• i napproachable
• i ncontrollable
• i ndemonstrable
• i ndecomposable
• i nappreciative
• i chthyophagous
• i nsignificancy
• i nspectorships
• i nsolubilities
• i nsolubilizing
• i nstantiations
• i nsubordinates
• i nstrumentally
• i nstructorship
• i nstructresses
• i nsurabilities
• i nsurrectional
• i nsurmountably
• i nsufficiently
• i ntangibleness
• i ntensionality
• i nteranimation
• i nterbehaviors
• i ntelligential
• i ntellectually
• i ntelligencers
• i ntellectively
• i nterpretively
• i nterpolations
• i nterpositions
• i nterpellating
• i nterpellation
• i nterpellators
• i nterparochial
• i nterpermeated
• i nterpermeates
• i nteroperative
• i nterobservers
• i nternucleonic
• i nternationals
• i ntermittently
• i ntermittences
• i ntermetallics
• i ntermenstrual
• i ntermediating
• i ntermediation
• i ntermediately
• i ntermediacies
• i ntermediaries
• i nterlineation
• i ntermarriages
• i ntercalations
• i ntercessional
• i nterdepending
• i nterdialectal
• i ntercorporate
• i ntercorrelate
• i nterconverted
• i ntercomparing

13-letter words that start with i

• i nternational
• i nvestigation
• i nstitutional
• i ncorporating
• i nappropriate
• i ndispensable
• i nvestigative
• i nsignificant
• i nconvenience
• i rresponsible
• i nterpersonal
• i nstantaneous
• i ndividuality
• i nspirational
• i ndividualism
• i nconsistency
• i nteroperable
• i mpossibility
• i mmunotherapy
• i ntracellular
• i nconceivable
• i mprovisation
• i ndeterminate
• i ntermountain
• i ntrospection
• i nsufficiency
• i rreplaceable
• i mpressionist
• i ndustrialist
• i ndividualist
• i rrepressible
• i ntercultural
• i mperceptible
• i nsubstantial
• i nconspicuous
• i nexhaustible
• i ndefatigable
• i ndividualize
• i mpracticable
• i rrationality
• i ntelligencer
• i ndescribable
• i nfinitesimal
• i nterregional
• i ndeterminacy
• i mpressionism
• i mmunosorbent
• i ndividuation
• i nterlocutory
• i ntramuscular
• i ntercellular
• i ntravascular
• i mpermissible
• i ndustrialism
• i ntergalactic
• i nconsiderate
• i ntrapersonal
• i nquisitorial
• i mprobability
• i ncommunicado
• i rretrievable
• i rrecoverable
• i ncorruptible
• i nterrogative
• i nsupportable
• i ncontestable
• i nexpressible
• i ontophoresis
• i mprovisatory
• i ndustrialize
• i mmateriality
• i mperturbable
• i ntracerebral
• i nsubordinate
• i nhomogeneous
• i nterspecific
• i nsectivorous
• i ntercommunal
• i ncandescence
• i rrationalism
• i nterrogatory
• i ndiscernible
• i negalitarian
• i ntraspecific
• i nhomogeneity
• i ndisposition
• i nhospitality
• i soproterenol
• i ntrogression
• i ndissociable
• i nefficacious
• i ntercolonial
• i nterdigitate
• i ntertropical
• i ndeterminism
• i nflorescence
• i nterferogram
• i soelectronic
• i ndistinctive
• i nconvertible

12-letter words that start with i

• i ntroduction
• i ntelligence
• i ntellectual
• i ncorporated
• i ndependence
• i nstallation
• i llustration
• i nstrumental
• i ntermediate
• i nsufficient
• i nterference
• i nflammatory
• i nconsistent
• i ntroductory
• i nfringement
• i nvestigator
• i nflammation
• i ncidentally
• i ntersection
• i ndebtedness
• i ncompatible
• i ndifference
• i ntermediary
• i rresistible
• i nterconnect
• i llumination
• i ntermittent
• i mpoverished
• i nflationary
• i rrespective
• i naccessible
• i ncontinence
• i ncompetence
• i nterception
• i nconvenient
• i rreversible
• i llegitimate
• i nefficiency
• i nauguration
• i llustrative
• i nconclusive
• i nfotainment
• i nterpretive
• i nfiltration
• i nexplicable
• i nexperience
• i nspectorate
• i mpenetrable
• i mplantation
• i ntelligible
• i ncomparable
• i nterminable
• i nvitational
• i nsurrection
• i ndisputable
• i ncandescent
• i rritability
• i nterstitial
• i nhospitable
• i ntoxication
• i ndefensible
• i mmeasurable
• i ncalculable
• i ntermission
• i rregularity
• i napplicable
• i nterstellar
• i llegitimacy
• i nvertebrate
• i narticulate
• i nadmissible
• i ntransigent
• i solationism
• i mperfection
• i ntercession
• i ntrauterine
• i nterlibrary
• i ndomethacin
• i ndiscretion
• i nvulnerable
• i nterlocutor
• i ntracranial
• i ncorrigible
• i nsufferable
• i ngratiating
• i ndigestible
• i nauspicious
• i nextricable
• i ntracardiac
• i nsufflation
• i ntertextual
• i diosyncrasy
• i nconsolable
• i rredeemable
• i mpertinence
• i ncapacitate
• i nterglacial
• i ndissoluble
• i ndoctrinate
• i ntracompany

11-letter words that start with i

• i nformation
• i ndependent
• i mmediately
• i ntegration
• i mprovement
• i nteresting
• i nstitution
• i ntelligent
• i nteractive
• i nteraction
• i nstruction
• i ncorporate
• i nvestigate
• i nfluential
• i magination
• i nspiration
• i nstallment
• i deological
• i nformative
• i maginative
• i mplication
• i nstability
• i nexpensive
• i neffective
• i nefficient
• i nterchange
• i nheritance
• i ntercourse
• i ntravenous
• i ndifferent
• i nterpreter
• i nclination
• i nvoluntary
• i ntentional
• i mperialism
• i ncompetent
• i nstructive
• i mpractical
• i ntolerable
• i ncarnation
• i ntolerance
• i nsensitive
• i nnumerable
• i rrevocable
• i nstinctive
• i nseparable
• i ndignation
• i llustrious
• i ntractable
• i nscription
• i mportation
• i nfomercial
• i nescapable
• i nterfacing
• i nfertility
• i nformatics
• i mmortality
• i mpassioned
• i rradiation
• i nadvertent
• i neffectual
• i nquisitive
• i mplausible
• i ncongruous
• i nquisition
• i nsecticide
• i ncredulous
• i conography
• i ndustrious
• i rrelevance
• i ncinerator
• i ndigestion
• i rreparable
• i nteragency
• i nterrogate
• i nscrutable
• i nequitable
• i ntraocular
• i noculation
• i mpropriety
• i nterleukin
• i nfatuation
• i nalienable
• i ncontinent
• i mmunoassay
• i nteroffice
• i ndomitable
• i ncredulity
• i rrefutable
• i nformality
• i nstinctual
• i ntroverted
• i rreducible
• i ndivisible
• i nexcusable
• i ncongruity
• i mpermeable
• i nfanticide
• i nattention
• i mpregnable

10-letter words that start with i

• i nvestment
• i ndividual
• i ndustrial
• i nterested
• i mportance
• i nitiative
• i nnovative
• i mpossible
• i nnovation
• i mpressive
• i nstrument
• i ndication
• i mpression
• i nspection
• i nadequate
• i nevitable
• i ncredible
• i nvitation
• i llustrate
• i nvaluable
• i ndicative
• i nstructor
• i nfectious
• i mperative
• i rrelevant
• i ntangible
• i ncomplete
• i ngredient
• i ndigenous
• i naccurate
• i nitiation
• i njunction
• i nhibition
• i nsulation
• i mposition
• i nequality
• i ntestinal
• i ntermodal
• i rritation
• i ntegrator
• i ndefinite
• i nsolvency
• i rrational
• i ndictment
• i nterstate
• i ncubation
• i mprobable
• i ncidental
• i mpersonal
• i nadequacy
• i lluminate
• i mpeccable
• i nfarction
• i mmaculate
• i nfrequent
• i neligible
• i nterfaith
• i maginable
• i nflexible
• i mmaterial
• i mpatience
• i ndulgence
• i lliterate
• i dealistic
• i mmunology
• i nsightful
• i nterferon
• i nhalation
• i nsatiable
• i mpediment
• i ntrastate
• i ntimidate
• i nducement
• i mpervious
• i rreverent
• i ntolerant
• i nflatable
• i nvincible
• i nfiltrate
• i nexorable
• i lliteracy
• i ncoherent
• i nordinate
• i ntonation
• i mmorality
• i nflection
• i nvalidate
• i nternment
• i nfidelity
• i ndecision
• i diopathic
• i nfallible
• i nvocation
• i nductance
• i njectable
• i ncapacity
• i nsurgency
• i ncendiary
• i mplacable
• i mpresario

9-letter words that start with i

8-letter words that start with i, 7-letter words that start with i, 6-letter words that start with i, 5-letter words that start with i, 4-letter words that start with i, 3-letter words that start with i, 2-letter words that start with i.

• 2-letter words with Z
• Words that start with g
• Words that start with r
• Words that end in c
• Words with the letter j
• Words that start with p
• Words that start with h
• Words that start with ia
• Words that start with ib
• Words that start with ic
• Words that start with id
• Words that start with ie
• Words that start with if
• Words that start with ig
• Words that start with ih
• Words that start with ii
• Words that start with ij
• Words that start with ik
• Words that start with il
• Words that start with im
• Words that start with in
• Words that start with io
• Words that start with ip
• Words that start with iq
• Words that start with ir
• Words that start with is
• Words that start with it
• Words that start with iu
• Words that start with iv
• Words that start with iw
• Words that start with ix
• Words that start with iy
• Words that start with iz
• Words that start with j
• Words that start with q
• Words that start with u
• Words that start with x
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OpenAI Unveils A.I. Technology That Recreates Human Voices

The start-up is sharing the technology, Voice Engine, with a small group of early testers as it tries to understand the potential dangers.

• Share full article

By Cade Metz

Reporting from San Francisco

First, OpenAI offered a tool that allowed people to create digital images simply by describing what they wanted to see. Then, it built similar technology that generated full-motion video like something from a Hollywood movie.

Now, it has unveiled technology that can recreate someone’s voice.

The high-profile A.I. start-up said on Friday that a small group of businesses was testing a new OpenAI system, Voice Engine, that can recreate a person’s voice from a 15-second recording. If you upload a recording of yourself and a paragraph of text, it can read the text using a synthetic voice that sounds like yours.

The text does not have to be in your native language. If you are an English speaker, for example, it can recreate your voice in Spanish, French, Chinese or many other languages.

OpenAI is not sharing the technology more widely because it is still trying to understand its potential dangers. Like image and video generators, a voice generator could help spread disinformation across social media. It could also allow criminals to impersonate people online or during phone calls.

The company said it was particularly worried that this kind of technology could be used to break voice authenticators that control access to online banking accounts and other personal applications.

“This is a sensitive thing, and it is important to get it right,” an OpenAI product manager, Jeff Harris, said in an interview.

The company is exploring ways of watermarking synthetic voices or adding controls that prevent people from using the technology with the voices of politicians or other prominent figures.

Last month, OpenAI took a similar approach when it unveiled its video generator, Sora. It showed off the technology but did not publicly release it.

OpenAI is among the many companies that have developed a new breed of A.I. technology that can quickly and easily generate synthetic voices. They include tech giants like Google as well as start-ups like the New York-based ElevenLabs. (The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, on claims of copyright infringement involving artificial intelligence systems that generate text.)

Businesses can use these technologies to generate audiobooks, give voice to online chatbots or even build an automated radio station DJ. Since last year, OpenAI has used its technology to power a version of ChatGPT that speaks . And it has long offered businesses an array of voices that can be used for similar applications. All of them were built from clips provided by voice actors.

But the company has not yet offered a public tool that would allow individuals and businesses to recreate voices from a short clip as Voice Engine does. The ability to recreate any voice in this way, Mr. Harris said, is what makes the technology dangerous. The technology could be particularly dangerous in an election year, he said.

In January, New Hampshire residents received robocall messages that dissuaded them from voting in the state primary in a voice that was most likely artificially generated to sound like President Biden . The Federal Communications Commission later outlawed such calls .

Mr. Harris said OpenAI had no immediate plans to make money from the technology. He said the tool could be particularly useful to people who lost their voices through illness or accident.

He demonstrated how the technology had been used to recreate a woman’s voice after brain cancer damaged it. She could now speak, he said, after providing a brief recording of a presentation she had once made as a high schooler.

Cade Metz writes about artificial intelligence, driverless cars, robotics, virtual reality and other emerging areas of technology. More about Cade Metz

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News  and Analysis

David Autor, an M.I.T. economist and tech skeptic, argues that A.I. is fundamentally different  from past waves of computerization.

Economists doubt that artificial intelligence is already visible in productivity data . Big companies, however, talk often about adopting it to improve efficiency.

OpenAI unveiled Voice Engine , an A.I. technology that can recreate a person’s voice from a 15-second recording.

Amazon said it had added $2.75 billion to its investment in Anthropic , an A.I. start-up that competes with companies like OpenAI and Google.

Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee signed a bill  to prevent the use of A.I. to copy a performer’s voice. It is the first such measure in the United States.

French regulators said Google failed to notify news publishers  that it was using their articles to train its A.I. algorithms, part of a wider ruling against the company for its negotiating practices with media outlets.

Screen Rant

Today's wordle hints & answer - april 4, 2024 (puzzle #1020).

April 4’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if players use hints or our starting words to give them a good idea of the solution.

April 4’s Wordle answer is a fairly common activity many people do in their daily routine. After using some hints, it shouldn’t be too hard to guess. But finding the answer can also be tricky since there is only one vowel and not much to go on afterward. In such situations, we recommend using some of our suggested starting words so that you can have a great start for today’s puzzle.

We also recommend using Wordle ’s hard mode if you often use random guesses. Most players lose their streak after using random guesses out of frustration. Luckily, this mode does not let you use random guesses. Once you have discovered the correct position of a letter, you will not be able to use it elsewhere , essentially preventing you from using random guesses.

10 Wordle Strategies To Keep Your Streak Alive

Best starting words for today’s wordle answer, three starting words to help you solve wordle.

If you have yet to start today’s Wordle , why not use some starting words that will give you a slight edge over your friends? These words should let you discover some key attributes of the answer, such as consonants, vowels, and some of the letters . Using these words will be beneficial over random guesses and, hopefully, let you solve the answer quickly.

The three starting words below are separated according to their difficulty. If you want a word that will reveal most of the letters from today’s answer, we recommend using the “ Easy Starting Word .” However, you can use the other two options if you still want a challenge.

Tip: You can also use some of the best starting words and combos for today’s, but the three suggested starting words below are curated for today’s Wordle answer:

Challenging Start Word For Today's Wordle

• Shares no consonants with today's answer.
• Shares no vowels with today's answer.
• Two letters are in the correct position for today's answer.

Medium Start Word For Today's Wordle

• Shares one consonant with today's answer.

Easy Start Word For Today's Wordle

• Shares one vowel with today's answer.
• Four letters are in the correct position for today's answer.

If you need some tips to solve most Wordle questions, check out this video by BuzzFeedPlayer player on YouTube.

Save Your Wordle Streak: Hints For Today's Wordle Answer

April 4 #1020.

If you are on your last few attempts and haven’t figured out the answer, you can use some hints. Many players prefer to use hints as they would for other games, and the four options below should give a fair idea about the solution. These hints do not spoil the answer but should give enough information so that you can solve March 4’s Wordle answer:

5 Letter Words Wordle Hasn't Used Yet (Updated Daily)

Today's wordle answer.

If you are on your last attempt and still want to solve today’s Wordle answer , you should not risk using hints; instead, use the direct answer. Before we give you the answer, if you used all three of our starting words, you would have found the correct positions of all five letters. This would have made the answer quite apparent, and you would be able to solve it on your fourth attempt.

April 4’s Wordle answer is CLIMB .

Other Games Like Wordle

After completing the solution, you can try plenty of other games like Wordle . These games are free to play and can be completed in a matter of minutes. Some are quite similar to Wordle , while others have a fun twist to keep things interesting. Here are four games you can play if you want to solve more puzzles.

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Hamlet Persuasive Essay

Hamlet Final Persuasive Essay The soliloquy “To be or not to be” is often considered one of the holy grails of literature. This speech by Hamlet helps develop his character and sets a theme for the rest of the book. Due to the significance of the soliloquy, I was shocked to find out that my teacher had decided to leave the “to be or not to be” scene out of the play. I strongly disagree with this decision because of the significance it has on the play. One example of this is how it shows Hamlet’s true desires throughout the play. “To die, to sleep-No more-and by a sleep to say we end” (Page 138 Lines 61-62). Here Hamlet is stating that dying is a sleep that puts an end to all of our problems. Another example is when Hamlet mentions how life will beat you down with its people and problems. …show more content…

In this quote, Hamlet brings up all of the shortcomings life has to offer, which include abuse from superiors, insults from other men, and the inefficiency of the legal system. These examples above also reveal Hamlet’s true desire, which is to die. A second example of “To be or not to be” having weight on the play is how it ties into Hamlet’s personal problems. An instance of this is when he mentions how the fear of death makes us all weaker mentally. “The conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution, Is sick lied o’er, with the pale cast of thought” (Page 140 lines 84-85). You can see the same reasoning when Hamlet ties the fear of death to his own inaction against avenging his father’s

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