# What are ethos, pathos and logos? Definitions and examples

Ethos, pathos and logos are the three classic ways to persuade an audience, described by Aristotle: ethos appeals to the speaker's credibility, pathos to the audience's emotions, and logos to logic and evidence. Most persuasive talks use all three, with logos carrying the argument while ethos and pathos make people trust it and care.

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/glossary/ethos-pathos-logos/

## The three appeals, with example lines

All three examples come from one made-up talk: a parent asking a city council to fund a protected bike lane outside a school.

| Appeal | Appeals to | Example line |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Ethos** | Your credibility: why listen to *you*? | "I've cycled this road to work for eight years, and I chair the parents' safety group at Elm Street School." |
| **Pathos** | The audience's feelings: why should they care? | "Last spring a nine-year-old from our school was clipped by a van at that junction. She was on her way to class." |
| **Logos** | Reason and evidence: why is it true? | "Our count found about 40 cyclists an hour at rush time, and the lane costs less than resurfacing one block." |

The numbers in the logos line are part of the example. In a real talk, use figures you have checked and can name the source of.

## How they work together

A common order is ethos early (so people trust you), pathos to make the problem real, logos to make the case, then a [call to action](/speaking-coach/glossary/call-to-action/). Leaving one out has a cost:

| Missing | What the audience thinks |
| --- | --- |
| Ethos | "Why should I believe you?" |
| Pathos | "True, but why does it matter to me?" |
| Logos | "Moving, but does it actually work?" |

## When each goes too far

- **Too much ethos** sounds like boasting. One sentence of credentials is usually enough.
- **Too much pathos** feels manipulative, especially without facts behind it.
- **Too much logos** turns into a list of numbers no one remembers. Pick the two strongest.

## Questions people ask

### Where do ethos, pathos and logos come from?

They come from Aristotle's *Rhetoric*, an ancient Greek work on persuasion, and are still taught in speech and writing classes.

### Is there a fourth appeal?

Some teachers add kairos: saying the right thing at the right moment, for example raising the bike lane the week after a near-miss is in the news.

### Which appeal is the most persuasive?

It depends on the audience. Experts usually want logos first; a general audience often needs pathos before they'll listen to numbers.

### How do I use all three in a five-minute speech?

One credibility line in the opening, one short story, and two pieces of evidence is plenty.

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