--- title: These are the Ten Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively description: Be brief — use short sentences canonical: https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-23T05:01:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:03:19.103Z article:section: Ideas og:title: 10 Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively og:description: Be brief — use short sentences og:url: https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d53cbb40cd802eb/69876fede20a8768eca84243/shapes-speech-bubble.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5616 og:image:height: 3159 og:image:alt: shapes-speech-bubble og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 10 Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively twitter:description: Be brief — use short sentences twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d53cbb40cd802eb/69876fede20a8768eca84243/shapes-speech-bubble.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 10 Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively > Sponsored content. 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A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=28ae1d1d-0b36-4bb6-bdfe-026c2f9570ad&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How Animals Learn Language [Watch (HLS stream): How Animals Learn Language](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/IB9XTqaU.m3u8) (3:13)  _Published 2010-08-06. TIME science writer, Jeffrey Kluger visits the Great Ape Trust to meet a remarkable Bonobo ape named Kanzi._ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Dec 23, 2014 5:01 AM UTC  Geometric shapes in speech bubble Geometric shapes in speech bubble Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Dec 23, 2014 5:01 AM UTC Frank Luntz has “engineered some of the most potent political and corporate campaigns of the last decade.” His wordsmithing helped Republican Rudy Giuliani get elected twice in New York — a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 5-to-1. Luntz and his polling firm have learned a great deal about language by conducting nearly 1500 surveys and focus groups for a wide range of products and politicians. The key takeaway from [his book](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) is actually part of the title: **_It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear._** In [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) Luntz breaks down the ten main lessons he’s learned from years of crafting political messages; lessons we can all learn from: 1) **Simplicity: Use Small Words** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 2) **Brevity: Use Short Sentences** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 3) **Credibility Is As Important As Philosophy** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 4) **Consistency Matters** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 5) **Novelty: Offer Something New** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 6) **Sound and Texture Matter** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 7) **Speak Aspirationally** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 8) **Visualize** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 9) **Ask a Question** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- 10) **Provide Context and Explain Relevance** Via [Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401309291/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401309291&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/ten-rules-effective-language/)**_. Join over 145,000 readers and get a free weekly email update_** [**_here_**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**_._** Related posts: * [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) * [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/) * [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/) _Read next:_ [_How You Can Learn the #1 Persuasion Technique of FBI Hostage Negotiators_](http://time.com/3549602/persuasion-technique-fbi-hostage-negotiators/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript >> The story that I've been exploring is on animal cognition on what's in the mind of animals. One of the first things and most important things I did was going to the Great Ape Trust in Iowa and visit several of the language adept apes. >> Tomato. >> And three of the bonobos there have been brought up with language and have acquired a vocabulary of 384 words. >> Potato. >> Potato. >> Blueberries. >> Blueberry. >> But you can see Justin in this row for example there are words-- some of the words here are like, ready, chalk, pretend, and what you'll notice is that a lot of these words are not easy nouns or verbs. How do you explain to an ape more, it, is, until, said, ed, the past tense, how do you tell an ape that? It has to be able to grasp instructions. >> Can you buy surprise? >> Surprise. >> When I first arrived, he was quite cautious and Kanzi approached the wall with some tentativeness and when that was done and he was comfortable, he pointed to the icon for coffee, pointed to me and swept his arm to include the other researchers and we all had coffee and he drinks hot coffee and he takes it with a little bit of sweetener and a little bit of vanilla milk. When he grew bored with us, he pointed to his icon for ball. The researchers suggested that I go get it for him to further strengthen our relationship and showed me where to tap out. " Yes, I will get the ball for you ." I did then get the ball for him. It took me a long time and when I returned, Dr. Rumbaugh asked him if he was ready to play and he said past ready. So apparently, I kept him waiting too long. >> Kanzi, could you cut the onions with your knife? >> That's very good. Thank you. >> One of the highest faculties that humans have are the things we'll be find it harder to measure and even articulate things like compassion and things like empathy, things like generosity. Kanzi's vocabulary includes not just words that describe his day. It includes words like happy and be and tomorrow and these are all words that suggest an animal that understand that his life while it's not the life you and I choose to live, his life is one that's meaningful to him, that brings him pleasure and is one that he looks forward to continuing and, you know, that says a lot. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/"},"headline":"10 Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively","datePublished":"2014-12-23T05:01:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:03:19.103Z","description":"Be brief — use short sentences","url":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/","keywords":["Psychology","language","communication"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d53cbb40cd802eb/69876fede20a8768eca84243/shapes-speech-bubble.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d53cbb40cd802eb/69876fede20a8768eca84243/shapes-speech-bubble.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"shapes-speech-bubble","caption":"shapes-speech-bubble","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/","name":"10 Rules You Need to Know to Communicate Effectively"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How Animals Learn Language","description":"TIME science writer, Jeffrey Kluger visits the Great Ape Trust to meet a remarkable Bonobo ape named Kanzi.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/IB9XTqaU/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2010-08-06T14:20:17.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/IB9XTqaU.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/","duration":"PT3M13S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3640695/10-communication-rules/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```