English Literature / Unit 1 ENL 0021 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance
Captions available
The idea
Alliteration repeats a consonant sound, usually opening stressed syllables, as in "storm strewn sea." Assonance repeats vowel sounds, as in Wilfred Owen's "rapid rattle." Consonance repeats consonant sounds anywhere in words, as in coming home; alliteration is its special case.
In practice
Consonants up front, vowels, consonants anywhere.
Where people slip
Assonance is vowels; the other two are consonants.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for English Literature