What is isocolon?
Isocolon is a figure of speech in which two or more neighboring phrases or clauses have the same length and the same grammatical structure. The parts are balanced, like the two sides of a scale.
The word comes from Greek: isos means “equal” and kolon means a “limb” or “member” of a sentence, so it means roughly “equal parts.”
A familiar example is the proverb Easy come, easy go. Both halves have two words, the same form, and the same rhythm.
Three features usually mark an isocolon:
- Similar length. The parts have about the same number of words or syllables, though they need not match exactly.
- Parallel structure. They use the same grammatical pattern, such as verb plus noun, verb plus noun.
- Rhythm. Together they create a steady beat that is easy to hear and remember.
How to pronounce isocolon
A common pronunciation is EYE-so-KOH-lon. You may also hear the stress on the first syllable (EYE-so-koh-lon). Dictionaries differ slightly, so check one if you need to be sure.
Types: bicolon, tricolon and tetracolon
Isocolon is often named by the number of parts:
- Bicolon: two parts. Easy come, easy go.
- Tricolon: three parts. I came, I saw, I conquered. (Julius Caesar’s veni, vidi, vici, as it is commonly attributed.)
- Tetracolon: four parts.
Tricolon is by far the most familiar, because three beats feel complete and memorable. In a tricolon crescens, each part is a little longer than the one before, which is a variation on strict equal length.
Isocolon examples in literature and speeches
Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
“… government of the people, by the people, for the people …”
Three short phrases share one pattern: a preposition followed by “the people.” That makes this a classic tricolon with equal parts.
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …”
The clauses match in length and shape, and the opposed words (best and worst, wisdom and foolishness) sit in the same positions. This is isocolon combined with antithesis.
Francis Bacon, “Of Studies”
“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”
Each clause has the same pattern: a verbal noun, then “a [adjective] man.” The writer leaves out the repeated verb in the second and third clauses, but the structure stays balanced.
Julius Caesar
Veni, vidi, vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”) has three one-word clauses in Latin, each ending in a similar sound. It is probably the best-known example of a tight tricolon.
Advertising and slogans
“The few, the proud, the Marines” is often cited as a modern example. Short, matched phrases are easy to remember, which is one reason they are common in slogans.
Isocolon vs. parallelism
Parallelism is the broader idea: using the same grammatical pattern for related ideas. She likes swimming, hiking and reading is parallel.
Isocolon is a narrower case of parallelism, where the parts are also about the same length. So every isocolon is parallel, but not every parallel structure is an isocolon. She likes to swim, hiking, and a book is faulty parallelism (a common target in sentence correction exercises), whereas She likes swimming, hiking and reading is parallel and roughly isocolonic.
Isocolon vs. tricolon and anaphora
- Tricolon is a series of three parts. When the three parts are also equal in length, the tricolon is an isocolon. A tricolon with unequal parts is still a tricolon, but not a strict isocolon.
- Anaphora is repetition of the same word or phrase at the start of successive clauses, as in Dickens’s “it was … it was …” Anaphora is about repeating words. Isocolon is about matching length and structure. The two often appear together, as in the Dickens passage above, but they are separate ideas.
A quick test: if the clauses begin with the same words, think anaphora. If they simply have the same shape and size, think isocolon. If there are exactly three, you can also call it a tricolon.
Why writers use isocolon
- Rhythm. Matching parts produce a steady, pleasing beat.
- Memorability. Balanced phrases are easier to recall, which suits speeches and slogans.
- Emphasis and contrast. Equal weight on two sides makes comparisons and opposites clearer.
- Authority. Orderly, symmetrical sentences often sound confident and composed.
How to write an isocolon
- List your ideas. For example: we planned, we built, we launched.
- Give them the same grammatical form. Use the same verb tense and word order in each.
- Trim or pad so they are similar in length. Count the words if needed.
- Read it aloud. The rhythm should feel even.
- Don’t overdo it. A long run of identical sentences can sound mechanical, so use balance where you want emphasis and vary your sentences elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is tricolon in English literature?
A tricolon is a series of three parallel words, phrases or clauses, such as “I came, I saw, I conquered.” When the three parts are equal in length, it is also an isocolon.
What is the difference between anaphora and tricolon?
Anaphora repeats the same opening words in successive clauses. A tricolon is any group of three parallel parts. They can overlap, but one is about repeated wording and the other about the number of parts.
What is the difference between parallelism and isocolon?
Parallelism means using the same grammatical structure. Isocolon adds the requirement that the parts be similar in length.
How do you pronounce “isocolon”?
Usually EYE-so-KOH-lon, though dictionaries may show other stress patterns.