weasel phrases

Examples of weasel phrases in the following topics:

• Choosing Appropriate Words

  • Consider the style, tone, and sections of your speech to determine the most appropriate words and phrases.
  • Weasel phrases are those that make a lot of promise but do not follow through on the delivery.
  • These trigger phrases often precede statements that lack much substantive quality.
  • Here is a list of common weasel phrases:

• Choosing Clear Words and Phrasing

  • Choose clear words and phrasing in your speech by fully understanding your topic through delimiting the question and defining key terms.
  • You want to make sure that your speech is easy to understand and follow, so it's imperative to choose clear words and phrasing.
  • When you think of your speech in delimiting the question and defining key terms, you have a great starting point for how to begin selecting the clearest words and phrasing.

• Types of Transitions

  • Various types of transactions include: transitional phrases, internal previews, internal summaries, and signposts.
  • Transitional Phrase: A word or phrase that indicates when a speaker has finished one thought and is moving onto another one.
  • Internal previews are more detailed than simple transitional phrases, but serve a similar function.
  • Differentiate between and give examples of transitional phrases, internal previews, internal summaries, and signposts

• Producing an Emotional Appeal

  • King hinges his call for change on three refrains, or repeated phrases.
  • He frames his vision for the future with the famous phrase, "I have a dream."
  • King articulates cruel injustices, leads us in imagining a world without those injustices, and then appeals to his audiences emotions through these phrases and the idea of a world with equal opportunity.

• Alliteration

  • When you use the same repetitive sound at the beginning of a series of words or phrases, you are using alliteration.
  • Alliteration is a technique often found in poetry, so take the time to get creative with the words and phrasing of your speech.
  • Look for sentences that could use a little "oomph" and try playing around with alliterative words and phrases to make your words sparkle.

• Highlighting the Main Points

  • Textual cues relate to the content of the speech: signal words and phrases, examples, anecdotes, and selections of text that appear on a slide or handout.
  • Visual aids such as slides, handouts, and posters are excellent ways to highlight key phrases, definitions, quotes, and lists.
  • You can save time with an outline that converts easily into visual aids: remember this when you choose subject headings, definitions, quotes, and key phrases.
  • Signal words and phrases are designed to command attention.
  • Here are some examples of signal words and phrases that will alert your audience to pay attention: important, noteworthy, crucial, vital, major, principal, primary, central, valuable, defining, distinctive, relevant, above all, in the end

• Presentation

  • You may have heard the phrase, "Dress to impress. " This couldn't be more true when getting up to deliver a speech.
  • Be on the lookout for phrases that might trip you up or leave you tongue-tied.
  • Practice your speech in front of another person or small group of people: ask them if what you're saying--from the ideas to which you're trying to get across to your phrasing, tone and style--make sense to them.

• Components of a Speech: Main Points, Introduction, Conclusion, and Transitions

  • Speakers can emphasize transition points with visual aids, body language, vocal delivery, and transitional words and phrases.
  • These words and phrases signal a change, giving the audience a "heads up" about an upcoming transition:

• Formatting Tips

  • Put similar ideas in the same formatting by using the same parts of speech, same clauses, phrases, or all complete sentences.
  • Type a second phrase, hit "return" then hit "tab" to indent.

• Using Transitions

  • In doing this, you might use the transition phrase, "let me take you back. " As you say this, move slowly to the right or left to show that you are moving into the past.
  • In doing this, you may use the transition phrase, "let me take you back. " As you say this, move slowly to the right or left to show that you are moving into the past.
  • To do this, you might use the transition phrase, "Now I need to take you to a different place. " As you say this, step backwards.
  • Step toward the front of the stage as you say your transitional phrase.