Kairos Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RL.9-10.2

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

The term "kairos" in Ancient Greek meant "time". It was not referring to the time of day or a measure of duration, it was more precisely all about timing. In modern language Kairos refers to choosing the most impactful moment to make a statement for your intended purpose. This is a tricky thing because timing is such a subjective matter. Not all people perceive things the same way depending how it affects them. Because of this there is no definitive guide as to writing with good Kairos. It really comes down to the author understanding the persona of their target audience that they are crafting their message for. Often it comes down to putting yourself in their shoes and asking yourself how you would feel if this message presented itself at that exact moment. These worksheets will help students become familiar with this concept and encourage them as to the best practices for using it in their writing.

Kairos Worksheets To Print:

The Foundation - This is a great way to introduce students to the concept through use of a class discussion.

Timing is Everything - What determines when it is the "right time" for a particular message? In what way can the "wrong time" sometimes be the perfect moment for messages related to social change?

True or False - See which of these statements are correct and which are not.

Lincoln's Speech - Prior to Lincoln's giving his Gettysburg Address, what did most people in America think that the Civil War was about? He threw them a change up.

Decorum and Pertinence - Critics of Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail thought that King had chosen the wrong time to spread the message of civil rights. Why?

The Nature of Success - How much does whether or not a book or film is successful depend on the skill or talent of its creator? Is every book or film that gets made, read, and seen well executed?

In Fiction - How much does timing effect the impact on an audience.

Complete It - Which terms would best complete these thoughts?

Why Kairos? - What determines whether or not something works or will work?

Organizer - This can help you plan out your writing and when to put it out there for the maximum impact of your message.

Exigence - Compare these concepts and see what the defining factors are.

Analyzing Literature - Read the definition of each component of context. Identify what each is in the assigned text.

In Film - You will identify and explain the plot of films that exhibit these qualities.

Elements - You will identify how an assigned text exhibits these tendencies.

I Remember When... - Think about a moment when you heard the exact right thing that you wanted or needed to hear, exactly when you wanted or needed to hear it.

What Is Kairos In Stories?

Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right time, opportunity, or season. In literature, it is a rhetorical strategy of saying something at the right point or creating a perfect moment to deliver the message. The right time of saying or presenting something is important to have the desired effect.


In Greek, kairos is not the only word that literally refers to time. Another word called 'chronos' also means time but in a different way. While kairos refers to time in a qualitative way, as in the ‘right time,’ chronos refers to the time that can be measured or tracked quantitatively.


The idea of kairos has been applied in numerous fields like classical rhetoric, modern rhetoric, modern rhetoric, Christian theology, science, and digital media. Let’s see what value it holds in literature’s rhetoric art.


Use in Stories


We first need to understand the concept of rhetoric to understand how kairos is used in literature. Rhetoric is the art of speaking or writing in a persuasive way. Three main modes of persuasion are used to convert words into effective rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. These modes can be used in different rhetorical situations to influence the human psyche.


Now, where does this fit into the concept of rhetoric? We have already discussed how the concept of rhetoric is used to persuade the audience in particular situations. But for your message to be effective, you need to think about the audience too. You have to consider how they will receive your message.


Your audience lives in a certain place and periods. That place and point affect how they receive and react to your message. Hence, kairos (the right time) affects how successful your argument or rhetoric communication is.


Example of Kairos in Literature


The 'I have a dream speech' by Martin Luther King is the best example of the rhetorical use of kairos. The powerful words of the speech moved thousands of people by the end. He used the rhetorical device of anaphora (repetition of words) to convey his point. However, the timing or the kairotic moment of the speech made his message even more effective.


America was under the civil rights movement at the time, and people wanted reformation, making them more receptive to the speech.


Moreover, he used the current signing of the Emancipation Proclamation (the president’s order to free all the enslaved people) to his advantage. He meant that even though the slaves had been set free, the African Americans still did not have their rights.


How to Use Kairos in Stories?


To incorporate kairos in your writing, think about your audience and create an important moment in your story. Ensure that the audience will be affected by this moment by relating it to the times you are living in. These factors will make your message meaningful and relevant to your readers.


Some people use kairos without creating context too. For example, we often see commercials that create a sense of urgency by asking the viewers to act in the moment, or they will miss out on the limited stock or a good deal.