Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance

Which of the following best defines alliteration?

• The repetition of vowel sounds inside words.

• The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

• A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

• The repetition of consonant sounds at the end of words.

Answer explanation

Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the start of a series of words, like in 'Peter Piper picked'. The other options describe assonance, a simile, or consonance.

Sort these brand names by the sound device they use.

Groups:

(a) Alliteration

,

(b) Assonance

• Best Buy

• YouTube

• Dunkin' Donuts

• PayPal

Answer explanation

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds, as seen in 'Dunkin' Donuts' (d), 'PayPal' (p), and 'Best Buy' (b). Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within words, like the long 'oo' sound in 'YouTube'.

Which sentence is an example of assonance?

• The cat crept quietly toward the corner.

• Go slow over the road.

• The dog ran across the green field.

• The wind whispered through the willows.

Answer explanation

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. This sentence repeats the long 'o' sound in 'go,' 'slow,' 'over,' and 'road.' The other options either demonstrate alliteration ('cat crept,' 'wind whispered') or no specific sound device.

Match each sound device to its correct definition.

• Repetition of internal vowel sounds

• Assonance

• Repetition of initial consonant sounds

• Consonance

• Repetition of internal or final consonant sounds

• Alliteration

Answer explanation

Alliteration is about beginning consonant sounds. Assonance is about internal vowel sounds. Consonance is about internal or ending consonant sounds. Each term has a distinct definition.

Which sentence contains an example of consonance?

• The early bird catches the worm.

• I wish I had a fish on my dish.

• The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.

• She sells seashells by the seashore.

Answer explanation

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words. Here, the 'sh' sound is repeated in 'wish,' 'fish,' and 'dish.' The other options primarily show assonance or alliteration.

Sort these short phrases by the main sound device used: Alliteration, Assonance, or Consonance.

Groups:

(a) Alliteration

,

(b) Assonance

,

(c) Consonance

• silly snakes

• first and last

• dangerous dogs

• pitter-patter

• cool moon

• fleet feet

Answer explanation

Alliteration repeats initial consonant sounds ('s', 'd'). Assonance repeats vowel sounds ('ee', 'oo'). Consonance repeats consonant sounds within or at the end of words ('tt' and 'r', 'st').

In the sentence, 'The black cat backed away from the snack,' the repetition of the 'ck' sound is an example of which literary device?

• Alliteration

• Consonance

• Simile

• Assonance

Answer explanation

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds, especially at the end of or within words. The repeated 'ck' sound in 'black,' 'backed,' and 'snack' is a clear example of consonance. The question specifically asks to identify the device associated with this particular sound.

Match the sentence to the sound device it best demonstrates.

• Assonance

• He struck a streak of bad luck.

• Consonance

• The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

• Alliteration

• Paula's puppy plays peacefully.

Answer explanation

The 'k' sound in 'struck,' 'streak,' and 'luck' is consonance. The repeating 'p' sound at the start of words in the second sentence is alliteration. The repeating 'ee' sound in 'squeaky,' 'wheel,' and 'grease' is assonance.

Which phrase best completes the sentence using alliteration? 'For breakfast, I want...'

• bacon, bagels, and bananas.

• eggs, toast, and orange juice.

• cereal and a glass of milk.

• pancakes with lots of syrup.

Answer explanation

This option is the only one that repeats the same initial consonant sound ('b') across multiple words, which is the definition of alliteration. The other options are just lists of food.

Identify the repeated vowel sound in this example of assonance: 'The light of the fire is a sight.'

• The short 'i' sound (in 'is')

• The long 'i' sound (in 'light,' 'fire,' 'sight')

• The short 'e' sound (in 'the')

• The short 'a' sound (in 'of')

Answer explanation

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. In this sentence, the long 'i' sound is clearly repeated in the words 'light,' 'fire,' and 'sight,' creating the poetic effect.