Alliteration

What Is Alliteration? (with Examples)

Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial letter in successive words. It is done for effect.

Alliteration is a stylistic literary technique in which neighbouring words repeat the same initial consonant sound. This is not to be confused with consonance as alliteration refers to only the beginning sound of the word and consonance refers to any other part.

Alliteration is used for emphasis or to make a sentence more pleasing to the ear. It is used in every day language, poetry, and literature. To form alliteration we need two or more words that have the same starting consonant sound. It's important to focus on the sound rather than the letter because it is the sound that catches the audience's attention.

Alliteration Examples

More Alliteration Examples

Below are more examples of alliteration:

A Quick Test

Alliteration Can Be Impactful

Used sparingly in business writing (e.g., once in a document), alliteration can: Here is an example of how alliteration might look in a business document:

DO Not Overuse Alliteration

While alliteration can be a great way to make your sentences catchy and memorable, overuse will make your work sound childish. Unless your primary audience is children, use this technique sparingly to ensure it remains impactful.


Help Us To Improve English Grammar Lessons
Please tell us using this form.

See Also

What is consonance? What is assonance? Glossary of grammatical terms