Every comedian's arsenal includes some go-to joke formats that get the job done. They aren't really rules or formulas; they're just familiar joke patterns that work. Become familiar with them and they just might help you craft your ideas into comedy gold. There are a lot of tricks of the trade, but there are five that are pretty much sure-fire techniques. These funny five — creating set-ups and punch lines, surprise, building tension and releasing it, the rule of threes, and using funny-sounding words — will help you start using your ideas right away.